Proximity-Induced Superconductivity in DNA

Abstract

Conductivity measurements on double-stranded DNA molecules deposited by a combing process across a submicron slit between rhenium/carbon metallic contacts reveal conduction to be ohmic between room temperature and 1 kelvin. The resistance per molecule is less than 100 kilohm and varies weakly with temperature. Below the superconducting transition temperature (1 kelvin) of the contacts, proximity-induced superconductivity is observed. These results imply that DNA molecules can be conducting down to millikelvin temperature and that phase coherence is maintained over several hundred nanometers.