Polymer translocation into laterally unbounded confined environments

Abstract

Using Langevin dynamics simulations in three dimensions (3D), we investigate the dynamics of polymer translocation into the regions between two parallel plane walls with separation $R$ under a driving force $F$, respectively. Compared with an unconfined environment, the translocation dynamics is greatly changed due to the crowding effect of the partially translocated monomers. Translocation time $\tau$ initially decreases rapidly with increasing $R$ and then saturates for larger $R$, and the confined environment leads to a nonuniversal dependence of $\tau$ on $F$.