Mechanically mediated electron transfer in model metallo-enzyme interfaces

In this paper, we develop a physical analysis of charge transfer in the model ‘metallo-enzyme’ complex which consists of a synthetic redox-addressed assembly (a ‘reaction center’) hybridized with a quantum dot (a gold nanoparticle) and attached via molecular bridge (a spacer) to the electrode. This artificial system allows us to model electronic transduction in experimental redox ezyme-gold nanoparticle hybrid structure recently reported by Xiao et al. [Xiao, Y., Patolsky, F., Katz, E., Hainfeid, J.F., Willner, I., 2003. Science 299, 1877–1881]. We consider a photosensitive spacer that allows us to control the conductivity of the bridge by light. In this paper we will focus on a special type of nanoelectro-mechanical processes in this system and investigate single electronic effects in there.