Electrical conductivity in biological semiconductors

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Abstract
We propose and study a simple quantum−mechanical model Hamiltonian which describes the physical picture of the ’’conformon’’ recently discussed by Kemeny and Goklany. We find an activation entropy which is consistent with the proper Arrhenius behavior only in certain temperature ranges; this entropy may also give the enormous enhancement observed in the prefactor of the conductivity. Our model leads naturally to a possibitlity for overcoming the expected decrease in mobility due to the very mechanism (large conformational change) for obtaining the large entropic enhancement. Namely, the conformational change may be associated with localized holes, whereas an appreciable mobility may result from electrons which are rather delocalized. A simple mechanism leading to compensation is also briefly discussed.

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