Conduction of DNA molecules attached to a disconnected array of metallic Ga nanoparticles

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that superconducting gallium nanoparticles can induce superconductivity in DNA molecules, revealing new insights into charge transfer mechanisms and reconciling previous conflicting results on DNA conductivity.

Contribution

It shows that metallic nanoparticles can transfer charge to DNA, inducing superconductivity and explaining previous discrepancies in DNA conduction studies.

Findings

Superconducting gallium nanoparticles induce superconductivity in DNA.

DNA molecules can conduct electricity over longer distances than previously thought.

Metallic particles facilitate charge transfer to DNA molecules.

Abstract

We have investigated the conduction over a wide range of temperature of $\lambda$ DNA molecules deposited across slits etched through a few nanometers thick platinum film. The slits are insulating before DNA deposition but contain metallic Ga nanoparticles, a result of focused ion beam etching. When these nanoparticles are superconducting we find that they can induce superconductivity through the DNA molecules, even though the main electrodes are non superconducting. These results indicate that minute metallic particles can easily transfer charge carriers to attached DNA molecules and provide a possible reconciliation between apparently contradictory previous experimental results concerning the length over which DNA molecules can conduct electricity.