  In this paper, we study the equilibrium properties of polymer chains
end-tethered to a fluid membrane. The loss of conformational entropy of the
polymer results in an inhomogeneous pressure field that we calculate for
gaussian chains. We estimate the effects of excluded volume through a relation
between pressure and concentration. Under the polymer pressure, a soft surface
will deform. We calculate the deformation profile for a fluid membrane and show
that close to the grafting point, this profile assumes a cone-like shape,
independently of the boundary conditions. Interactions between different
polymers are also mediated by the membrane deformation. This pair-additive
potential is attractive for chains grafted on the same side of the membrane and
repulsive otherwise.
