Electron transport through one and four-channel DNA models

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Authors
Lee, Sun-Hee
Advisor
Joe, Yong S.
Issue Date
2010-07-24
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (M.S.)
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Abstract

DNA molecules possess high density genetic information in living beings, as well as selfassembly and self-recognition properties that make them excellent candidates for many scientific areas, from medicine to nanotechnology. The process of electron transport through DNA is important because DNA repair occurs spontaneously via the process that restores mismatches and lesions, and furthermore, DNA-based molecular electronics in nano-bioelectronics can be possible through the process. In this thesis, we study theoretically the transport properties through a one-dimensional one-channel DNA model, a quasi-one-dimensional one-channel DNA model, and a two-dimensional four-channel DNA model by using the Tight-Binding Hamiltonian method. We show graphical outputs of the transmission, overall contour plots of transmission, localization lengths, the Lyapunov exponent, and current-voltage characteristics as a function of incoming electron energy and magnetic flux which are obtained using Mathematica run on the CSH Beowulf Cluster. Our results show that the semiconductor behavior can be observed in the I-V characteristics. The current through a quasi-one-dimensional one-channel DNA model starts to flow after the breakdown voltage and remains constant after threshold voltage. The variations of the temperature make the fluctuations of the system. As the temperature increases, the sharp transmission resonances are smeared out and the localization lengths are also decreased. Due to a magnetic field penetrating at the center of the two-dimensional DNA model, the Aharonov- Bohm (AB) oscillations can be observed.

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