○ Topic : Magnetic-field and spin polarization effects on electron transport in DNA molecules

○ Spearker : Yong Suk Joe (Ball State University, USA)

○ Date & Time : September 11(Wed), 2024, 16:30,

○ Place : Natural Science 1, Room No. 31214, SKKU

○ Abstract : The process of charge transport through DNA molecules is an important research topic in many scientific areas from biochemistry to nanotechnology. Research into the physical properties of DNA, such as the mechanism of electron transport, is essential for understanding the biological functions of DNA and developing DNA-based technologies. Hence, I will present the quantum mechanical electron transport along the long axis of the double-helix DNA molecule in order to further understand the mechanism and the factors which influence DNA charge transport. More specifically, the magnetic field and electron spin effects through the double-helix structure of DNA molecules connected to semi-infinite electrodes are presented. Our theoretical approach involves the application of the two-dimensional tight-binding Schrödinger equation and Landauer-Buttiker formalism to calculate transmission and electric current through the nearest-neighbors of base-pairs’ DNA. I also incorporate a variation of magnetic field flux density into the hopping integrals as a phase factor and observe Aharonov-Bohm oscillations with their periodicity in the transmission. Under the electron spin and backbone effects, I show that the ds-DNA serves as a perfect spin filter despite the weak spin-obit coupling, and therefore its spin filtration efficiency could be enhanced by increasing the DNA length.