Fig. 5
From: Experimental evidence of symmetry breaking of transition-path times
Folding and unfolding transitions of DNA hairpins under fluctuating external forces. a Sketch of the experiment: Each end of the DNA-hairpin strand is grafted onto a colloid. While one colloid is firmly attached to a pipette, the other is held in force-measuring optical tweezers. The position of the different states F+, F−, U+, U− are indicated in the λ × f plane (extension × force plane). b Relative occupation of states in the λ × f plane. c Excerpt of the dynamics of the hairpin. d Cumulative histogram of transition times from U+  →  F− (blue) and vice versa (red). The inset shows the free energy G of the barrier in equilibrium as a function of opened base pairs
