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Non-classicality of the molecular vibrations assisting exciton energy transfer at room temperature

O'Reilly, EJ; Olaya-Castro, A; (2014) Non-classicality of the molecular vibrations assisting exciton energy transfer at room temperature. Nature Communications , 5 , Article 3012. 10.1038/ncomms4012. Green open access

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Abstract

Advancing the debate on quantum effects in light-initiated reactions in biology requires clear identification of non-classical features that these processes can exhibit and utilize. Here we show that in prototype dimers present in a variety of photosynthetic antennae, efficient vibration-assisted energy transfer in the sub-picosecond timescale and at room temperature can manifest and benefit from non-classical fluctuations of collective pigment motions. Non-classicality of initially thermalized vibrations is induced via coherent exciton-vibration interactions and is unambiguously indicated by negativities in the phase-space quasi-probability distribution of the effective collective mode coupled to the electronic dynamics. These quantum effects can be prompted upon incoherent input of excitation. Our results therefore suggest that investigation of the non-classical properties of vibrational motions assisting excitation and charge transport, photoreception and chemical sensing processes could be a touchstone for revealing a role for non-trivial quantum phenomena in biology.

Type: Article
Title: Non-classicality of the molecular vibrations assisting exciton energy transfer at room temperature
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4012
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4012
Language: English
Additional information: © 2014 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ PMCID: PMC3896760
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Physics and Astronomy
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1435413
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