Polymer translocation into a fluidic channel through a nanopore

Original · EN

Using two dimensional Langevin dynamics simulations, we investigate the dynamics of polymer translocation into a fluidic channel with diameter R through a nanopore under a driving force F. Due to the crowding effect induced by the partially translocated monomers, the translocation dynamics is significantly altered in comparison to an unconfined environment, namely, we observe a nonuniversal dependence of the translocation time τ on the chain length N. τ initially decreases rapidly and then saturates with increasing R, and a dependence of the scaling exponent α of τ with N on the channel width R is observed. The otherwise inverse linear scaling of τ with F breaks down and we observe a minimum of α as a function of F. These behaviors are interpreted in terms of the waiting time of an individual segment passing through the pore during translocation.