Prados Montaño, AntonioCarpio, AnaBonilla, L.L.2020-05-132020-05-132012Prados Montaño, A., Carpio, A. y Bonilla, L.L. (2012). Spin-oscillator model for the unzipping of biomolecules by mechanical force. Physical Review E, 86 (2), 021919-1-021919-9.1550-2376https://hdl.handle.net/11441/96529A spin-oscillator system models unzipping of biomolecules (such as DNA, RNA, or proteins) subject to an external force. The system comprises a macroscopic degree of freedom, represented by a one-dimensional oscillator, and internal degrees of freedom, represented by Glauber spins with nearest-neighbor interaction and a coupling constant proportional to the oscillator position. At a critical value Fc of an applied external force F, the oscillator rest position (order parameter) changes abruptly and the system undergoes a first-order phase transition. When the external force is cycled at different rates, the extension given by the oscillator position exhibits a hysteresis cycle at high loading rates, whereas it moves reversibly over the equilibrium force-extension curve at very low loading rates. Under constant force, the logarithm of the residence time at the stable and metastable oscillator rest position is proportional to F − Fc as in an Arrhenius law.application/pdf9 p.engAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.86.021919