Dynamic structure factor ($S(\omega ,\mathbf{k})$)

The dynamic structure factor is the space-time Fourier transform of an equilibrium two-point correlation function. It resolves fluctuations by angular frequency and wavevector and is related to the dissipative part of a retarded Green function by the Fluctuation-dissipation theorem.

The static structure factor is the equal-time spatial Fourier transform of a two-point correlation function. Depending on convention it is obtained either by integrating the dynamic structure factor over frequency or by taking an appropriate zero-frequency limit.

For $N$ equal scattering sites on one polymer, define $g(\mathbf{k})=N^{-1}{\sum }_{m,n}⟨e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot ({\mathbf{R}}_n-{\mathbf{R}}_m)}⟩$. It has $g(0)=N$; its normalized form factor is $g/N$. Under a rotationally invariant joint distribution, each separation vector has a uniform direction at fixed magnitude $r$. The angular average is $\frac{1}{2}{\int }_{-1}^1{e}^{ikr\mu }d\mu =\sin (kr)/(kr)$, with value one at $r=0$. Thus $g$ depends only on $k=|\mathbf{k}|$, and $g(k)=N^{-1}{\sum }_{m,n}⟨\sin (k|{\mathbf{R}}_n-{\mathbf{R}}_m|)/(k|{\mathbf{R}}_n-{\mathbf{R}}_m|)⟩$. The diagonal self terms are essential in a finite chain and give the large-$k$ limit one for a discrete Gaussian chain.

Expand the isotropic angular factor as $\sin (kr)/(kr)=1-k^2{r}^2/6+O(k^4{r}^4)$. For a polymer scattering function and finite fourth pair moments, the constant double sum gives $g(0)=N$, and the quadratic sum is determined by the radius of gyration:In the range $k{R}_g\ll 1$, this is also approximated by $e^{-k^2{R}_g^2/3}$. The coefficient follows from isotropy and the definition of $R_g$ and does not require a Gaussian chain.