Spin-Selective Transport of Electron in DNA Double Helix

TL;DR

This paper explains how double-stranded DNA exhibits significant spin polarization due to a combination of spin-orbit coupling, environmental effects, and helical structure, unlike single-stranded DNA.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical understanding of spin-selective transport in DNA, highlighting the role of helical symmetry and environmental factors in spin polarization.

Findings

Double-stranded DNA shows significant spin polarization.

Single-stranded DNA does not exhibit spin polarization.

Spin polarization depends on physical parameters and environmental conditions.

Abstract

The experiment that the high spin selectivity and the length-dependent spin polarization are observed in double-stranded DNA [Science ${\bf 331}$, 894 (2011)], is elucidated by considering the combination of the spin-orbit coupling, the environment-induced dephasing, and the helical symmetry. We show that the spin polarization in double-stranded DNA is significant even in the case of weak spin-orbit coupling, while no spin polarization appears in single-stranded DNA. Furthermore, the underlying physical mechanism and the parameters-dependence of the spin polarization are studied.