Correlations near the vulcanization transition: A renormalization-group approach

Correlators describing the vulcanization transition are constructed and explored via a renormalization group approach. This approach is based on a minimal model that accounts for the thermal motion of constituents and the quenched random constraints imposed on their motion by crosslinks. Critical exponents associated with the correlators are obtained near six dimensions, and found to equal those governing analogous entities in percolation theory. Some expectations for how the vulcanization transition is realized in two dimensions, developed with H. E. Castillo, are discussed.