Driven polymer translocation through a cylindrical nanochannel: interplay between the channel length and the chain length

Abstract

Using analytical techniques and Langevin dynamics simulations, we investigate the dynamics of polymer translocation through a nanochannel embedded in two dimensions under an applied external field. We examine the translocation time for various ratio of the channel length $L$ to the polymer length $N$. For short channels $L\ll N$, the translocation time $\tau \sim N^{1+\nu}$ under weak driving force $F$, while $\tau\sim F^{-1}L$ for long channels $L\gg N$, independent of the chain length $N$. Moreover, we observe a minimum of translocation time as a function of $L/N$ for different driving forces and channel widths. These results are interpreted by the waiting time of a single segment.