Process Time Distribution of Driven Polymer Transport

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the stochastic distribution of process times in driven polymer transport, revealing significant variability and asymmetry in translocation times due to initial configuration disorder.

Contribution

It introduces a scaling framework for understanding the distribution of process times in driven polymer translocation and stretching, highlighting differences between these processes.

Findings

Translocation process times exhibit substantial spread even for long chains.

The distribution of translocation times is asymmetric.

Stretching process times have less variability compared to translocation.

Abstract

We discuss the temporal distribution of dynamic processes in driven polymer transport inherent to flexible chains due to stochastic tension propagation. The stochasticity originates from the disordered initial configuration of an equilibrium polymer coil, which results in random paths for tension propagation. We consider the process time for when translocation occurs across a fixed pore and when stretching occurs by pulling the chain end. A scaling argument for the mean and standard deviation of the process time is provided using the two-phase picture for stochastic propagation. The two cases are found to differ remarkably. The process time distribution of the translocation exhibits substantial spreading even in the long-chain limit, unlike that found for the dynamics of polymer stretching. In addition, the process time distribution in the driven translocation is shown to have a characteristic asymmetric shape.