Partitioning of a polymer chain between two confining cavities: the roles of excluded volume and finite size conduits

Lattice-field calculations are performed on a Gaussian polymer chain confined to move within the region defined by two fused spheres. The results of the calculations are in accord with recent experimental measurements and computer simulations, and suggest that current theoretical understanding of polymer partitioning phenomena is inadequate when excluded volume interactions between the monomers are present. It is also shown that the notion of ground state dominance can fail even in the large monomer limit.