Zhong J.X.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US
Keywords: disorder, DNA, electron, transport
A minimal model was recently proposed to explain the gap opening and the semi-conductor behavior in poly(G)-poly(C) DNA molecules. In this model, the large band gap is attributed to the hybridization of the G-G p stack with the transversal backbone reservoirs. We note that the model does not consider an important fact, namely the static disorder of the DNA backbone that definitely exists in real samples because of chemical, mechanical, and electrical treatment. We propose a novel model to examine the effects of the backbone disorder on electric transport in DNA. We use the quantum diffusion approach to investigate the dynamical nature of electrons under backbone disorder. We found that it is essential to include the backbone disorder in understanding the electronic transport properties of DNA.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 2, Technical Proceedings of the 2003 Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 2
Published: February 23, 2003
Pages: 105 - 108
Industry sectors: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: Nanoelectronics
ISBN: 0-9728422-1-7