DNA Electronics

DNA is a potential component in molecular electronics. To explore this end, there has been an incredible amount of research on how well DNA conducts and by what mechanism. There has also been a tremendous amount of research to find new uses for it in nanoscale electronics. DNA's self-assembly and recognition properties have found a unique place in this area. We predict, using a tight-binding model, that spin-dependent transport can be observed in short DNA molecules sandwiched between ferromagnetic contacts. In particular, we show that a DNA spin-valve can be realized with magnetoresistance values of as much as 26% for Ni and 16% for Fe contacts. Spin-dependent transport can broaden the possible applications of DNA as a component in molecular electronics and shed new light into the transport properties of this important biological molecule.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Department dc:contributor.department

Physics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Zwolak, Michael Philip

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Di Ventra, Massimiliano

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Blecher, Marvin
• Tauber, Uwe C.

• Electronics
• Charge Transport
• Spin-dependent Transport
• DNA

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05212003-112020

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/78135