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Multilevel Redfield treatment of bridge-mediated long-range electron transfer. A mechanism for anomalous distance dependence

Journal Article · · Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100009a057· OSTI ID:6758773
; ;  [1]
  1. Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)

The density matrix formalism is used to consider long-range electron transfer through a delocalized bridge system that is dissipatively coupled to a thermal bath. Under conditions when the bridge is weakly populated, a distance-independent transfer mechanism arises that eventually dominates the exponentially distance-dependent nonadiabatic tunneling process typically observed. This model offers a possible explanation for the anomalously rapid long-range photoelectron transfer recently observed by Barton and Turro et al, for donor and acceptor species intercalated into a DNA double helix. Predicted electron-transfer rates are obtained by numerically solving the Redfield equation for the density matrix of the full donor-bridge-acceptor system in the presence of stochastic fluctuations induced by the bath. 43 refs., 17 figs., 4 tabs.

DOE Contract Number:
FG02-90ER14162
OSTI ID:
6758773
Journal Information:
Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States) Vol. 99:9; ISSN JPCHAX; ISSN 0022-3654
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English