We investigate theoretically the effect of atomic vibrations on the electron tunneling in polyalanine bridges. The inelastic-scattering processes in the bridge are included using a nonequilibrium Green’s function formalism with the density-functional Hamiltonian. With this method we analyze the inelastic charge transfer in polyalanine. We find that electron tunneling across alanine exhibits a resonant behavior and that atomic vibrations substantially change the charge-transfer rate across the bridge by providing additional scattering channels.

• Received 20 August 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.81.045112