STATISTICAL-MECHANICAL THEORY OF THE RIPPLE PHASE OF LIPID BILAYERS

We present the results of Monte Carlo simulations for a variant of the chiral clock model in an attempt to clarify the microscopic origins of the ripple (P) phase that occurs in cewrtain lipid bilayers. Using independently determined values of the molecular interactions the simulations exhibit a ripple phase whose properties are in good agreement with certain features of synchrotron x-ray data and scanning tunneling micrographs of the P phase. The simulation data are compared to mean-field results which suggest the possibility that the ripple phase of the model is metastable. © 1990 The American Physical Society © 1990 The American Physical Society.