| Abstract: | In this work we investigate the electronic transport along model disordered DNA molecules using an effective tight-binding approach, addressing the localization properties. Different tools to investigate the degree of localization are examined as a function of system length, energy dependence and DNA to electrode coupling: localization length, participation number and sensitivity to boundary conditions. Combining the results obtained from these different tools, a thermodynamic limit for the model DNA molecule, within the mesoscopic length scale, can be established. Furthermore, three aspects are investigated: (i) the influence of strongly localized resonances on the localization length is discussed as an important mechanism defining the degree of localization for sizes below the thermodynamic limit; (ii) the dependence on the Hamiltonian parameters on a possible diffusive regime for short systems; and, finally, (iii) possible length dependent origins for the large discrepancies among experimental results for the electronic transport in DNA samples. |
