Nearest-neighbor inter-strand coupling effects on electron transport through DNA molecules

ORAL

Abstract

In this research, an updated tight binding model including nearest-neighbor inter-strand hopping (NIH) strengths for quantum mechanical electron transport through double-stranded DNA molecules is proposed. The motivation for including these additional couplings is their similar hopping mechanism for electron tunneling in computations of DNA electron transport. Results are examined for a 30 base-pair, poly(G)--poly(C) DNA molecule which demonstrates the effects of NIH strengths on energy transmission and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. It is found that enhancement of transmission spectra is observed with these couplings, and subsequent novel features are revealed on the I-V characteristics under various electrode-molecule contact conditions.

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Authors

  • Dale Igram

    Cornell University, Air Force Research Labs, The Center for Photochemical Sciences and Department of Physics, BGSU, Department of Physics, BGSU, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ball State University, Miami University, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitat, Mainz, Germany, Martin-Luther-Universitat, Halle, Germany, The Ohio State University, Department of Physics, Columbus, OH 43210, USA, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA, Ohio Northern University, The Ohio State University, Department of Physics, Columbus, OH 43210, Sciprint.org, Ball State University, Department of Physics and Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802

  • Eric Hedin

    Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Ball State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ball State University, Ball State University

  • Yong Joe

    Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Ball State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ball State University, Department of Physics and Astrnomy, Ball State University