The conductance in a polymeric system of nearly macroscopic dimensions is calculated using the many-channel Büttiker-Landauer formula. A sharp decrease in the conductivity (metal-to-nonmetal transition) is observed when the length of the polymer sample exceeds some critical value. This value defines the electron localization length. For parameters that are realistic for heavily doped trans-polyacetylene chains, the localization length is 3–4 times the average polymer chain length.

• Received 19 October 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.51.4137