Measuring charge transport in a single DNA molecule
2007-11-05
Double-stranded (ds)DNA is the longest polymer in which electrical charge transport has been measured so far (which is not a 1D crystal like carbon nanotubes). It is a perfect candidate to investigate electric transport mechanisms in single molecules in a controlled way, as it enables a rich variety of structural manipulations (for example, sequence, length, mismatches) that are reflected in the transport properties (both energy level structure and coupling along the molecule). This knowledge is considered to be very relevant for both molecular nanoelectronics and DNA damage repair.
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