Near-Temperature-Independent Electron Transport Well beyond Expected Quantum Tunneling Range via Bacteriorhodopsin Multilayers.

ABSTRACT: A key conundrum of biomolecular electronics is efficient electron transport (ETp) through solid-state junctions up to 10 nm, often without temperature activation. Such behavior challenges known charge transport mechanisms, especially via nonconjugated molecules such as proteins. Single-step, coherent quantum-mechanical tunneling proposed for ETp across small protein, 2-3 nm wide junctions, but it is problematic for larger proteins. Here we exploit the ability of bacteriorhodopsin (bR), a well-studied, 4-5 nm long membrane protein, to assemble into well-defined single and multiple bilayers, from ∼9 to 60 nm thick, to investigate ETp limits as a function of junction width. To ensure sufficient signal/noise, we use large area (∼10^-3 cm²) Au-protein-Si junctions. Photoemi

SUBMITTER: Bera S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10655127 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature