Numerical Simulation of Small Radius Polaron in a Chain with Random Perturbations

In a number of publications about biophysical experiments on the transfer of a charge to DNA, it is assumed that charge is transferred via a super-exchange mechanism at short distances of 2–3 nucleotide pairs, and in long fragments the charge forms a polaron that moves along the chain under the influence of temperature fluctuations. Using numerical simutation, we investigate the dynamics of a polaron of small radius in a homogeneous chain plaiced in constant electric field at a finite temperature. It is shown that there is no charge transfer by the polaron mechanism, i.e. there is no sequential movement of the polaron from site to site, in chains with parameter valuess corresponding to homogeneous adenine DNA fragments. The “polaron or delocalized state” check is based on the control of the average characteristics: the delocalization parameter, the position of the maximum probability, and the maximum modulus displacement. The dynamics of individual trajectories is also considered. Without electric field, there is a mode of switching between the states "stationary polaron – delocalized state", and a new polaron arises at a random site of the chain. In the chain placed in field with constant intensity, the averaged charge moves in the direction of the field, but the transfer occurs in a delocalized state.

Entanglement in single-particle systems

We address some of the most commonly raised questions about entanglement, especially with regard to the so-called occupation number entanglement. To answer unambiguously whether entanglement can exist in a one-atom delocalized state, we propose an experiment capable of showing violations of Bell's inequality using only this state and local operations. We review previous discussions for one-photon non-locality and propose a specific experiment for creating one-atom entangled states, showing that the superselection rule of atom number can be overcome. As a by-product, this experiment suggests a means of creating an entangled state of two different chemical species. By comparison with a massless system, we argue that there should be no fundamental objection to such a superposition and its creation may be within reach of present technology.