Monte Carlo simulations of polymers with nearest- and next nearest-neighbor interactions on square and cubic lattices

We study a generalized interacting self-avoiding walk (ISAW) model with nearest- and next nearest- neighbor (NN and NNN) interactions on square and cubic lattices. In both dimensions, the phase diagrams show coil and globule phases separated by continuous transition lines. Along these lines, we calculate the metric upsilon(t), crossover phi(t) and entropic gamma(t) exponents, all of them in good agreement with the exact values of the Theta universality class. Therefore, the introduction of NNN interactions does not change the class of the ISAW model, which still exists even for repulsive forces. The growth parameters mu(t) are shown to change monotonically with temperature along the Theta-lines. In the square lattice, the Theta-line has an almost linear behavior, which was not found in the cubic one. Although the region of repulsive NNN interactions, with attractive NN ones, leads to stiff polymers, no evidence of a transition to a crystalline phase was found.