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Chinese Physics B

Energy transfer and correlation dynamics in a three-quasi-spin-pigment system

Yinping Zhang, Hongrong Li, Aiping Fang, Hao Chen, Fuli Li

Published May 1, 2013• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this paper, the effects of quantum and classical correlations on the excitation energy transfer in a three-quasispin-pigment system are investigated. We first study the dependence of the energy transfer efficiency on various initial correlations of the donor pigments, and find that the initial concurrence is crucial to the efficiency no matter whether the initial states are pure or mixed. We then demonstrate the dynamics of correlations of the system and observe the appearance of sudden death of quantum correlations in the donor pigments. The relation between the energy transfer efficiency and the dynamics of correlations in the donor pigments is also discussed.

DOI
10.1088/1674-1056/22/5/057104

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In this paper, the effects of quantum and classical correlations on the excitation energy transfer in a three-quasispin-pigment system are investigated. We first study the dependence of the energy transfer efficiency on various initial correlations of the donor pigments, and find that the initial concurrence is crucial to the efficiency no matter whether the initial states are pure or mixed. We then demonstrate the dynamics of correlations of the system and observe the appearance of sudden death of quantum correlations in the donor pigments. The relation between the energy transfer efficiency and the dynamics of correlations in the donor pigments is also discussed.
Recently, long-lasting quantum effects in a number of photosynthetic complexes, which are pigment-protein molecular aggregates (PPMAs), were experimentally verified. These findings created an interest in trying to connect the known highly efficient excitation energy transfer (EET) in these systems to the existence of quantum effects such as quantum coherence and quantum correlations. It also raised the question of how these sensitive quantum effects can survive in such a macroscopic system. This thesis explores the existence and possible role of quantum effects in the EET in PPMAs. These systems can be modeled as non-Markovian open quantum systems and quantum effects can be investigated and quantified by methods developed in quantum information theory. Firstly, it is found that quantum nonlocal correlations in the EET in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex - a PPMA found in nature - are unlikely to exist when the initial excitation occurs in a natural manner. When the initial excitation occurs in an artificial manner by localization of the excitation on one pigment, nonlocal correlations exist on a short time scale. It is further found that in order for nonlocal correlations to be preserved in such a system, the excitation must be trapped on two pigments at the time and these pigments must not interact strongly with other pigments in the complex. Secondly, it is shown that quantum coherence is not in general a resource for efficient EET in model systems consisting of a network of pigments; systems optimized with respect to the amount of coherence do not coincide with systems with optimal EET efficiency between two end-site pigments. Thirdly, it is found that environmental effects and system-environment interactions can be tuned to optimize the EET efficiency in model PPMAs. The features of optimal environments highly depends on the structure of the pigment system and in particular, the relationship between the pigments excitation energies. It is further shown that a non-Markovian dynamics cannot be connected to an increased EET efficiency in these systems.
Abstract The Fenna–Matthews–Olson (FMO) complex—a pigment protein complex involved in photosynthesis in green sulfur bacteria—is remarkably efficient in transferring excitation energy from light harvesting antenna molecules to a reaction center. Recent experimental and theoretical studies suggest that quantum coherence and entanglement may play a role in this excitation energy transfer (EET). We examine whether bipartite quantum nonlocality, a property that expresses a stronger‐than‐entanglement form of correlation, exists between different pairs of chromophores in the FMO complex when modeling the EET by the hierarchically coupled equations of motion method. We compare the results for nonlocality with the amount of bipartite entanglement in the system. In particular, we analyze in what way these correlation properties are affected by different initial conditions. It is found that bipartite nonlocality only exists when the initial conditions are chosen in an unphysiological manner and probably is absent when considering the EET in the FMO complex in its natural habitat. It is also seen that nonlocality and entanglement behave quite differently in this system. In particular, for localized initial states, nonlocality only exists on a very short time scale and then drops to zero in an abrupt manner. As already known from previous studies, quantum entanglement between chromophore pairs, on the other hand, is oscillating and exponentially decaying and follow thereby a pattern more similar to the chromophore population dynamics. The abrupt disappearance of nonlocality in the presence of nonvanishing entanglement is a phenomenon we call nonlocality sudden death; a striking manifestation of the difference between these two types of correlations in quantum systems.
Abstract The dependence of dynamics of coherent resonant energy transfer of electronic excitation between impurity ions in condensed media on the initial conditions of the donor excitation is investigated. Their crucial role in the coherence of the energy transfer process is shown. Validity criteria of different limiting cases of the energy resonant transfer are specified taking into account initial conditions of excitation. The “excitation trapping” effect at the coherent energy transfer is also shown to be present.
In this work, we study the dynamics of quantum correlation (QC) in terms of quantum discord and its transfer for multiqubit systems in dissipative environments. At first, we investigate the dynamics of bipartite QC contained in a three-qubit system that are initially prepared in an extended W-like state with each qubit coupled to an independent reservoir. Subsequently, we study a realistic quantum network of several remote nodes each of which contains two qubits in contact with a common reservoir. For the simplest case of two nodes, we study the dynamics of QC and its transfer from the initially correlated system to the reservoirs and other degrees of freedom. In both models, we pay particular attention to the independent evolution and transfer of QC without the participation of entanglement when the systems of interest are initially prepared in unentangled states. We also observe the occurrence of sudden changes of quantum discord when the systems are initially in mixed states.
The Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex - a pigment protein complex involved in photosynthesis in green sulfur bacteria - is remarkably efficient in transferring excitation energy from light harvesting antenna molecules to a reaction center. Recent experimental and theoretical studies suggest that quantum coherence and entanglement may play a role in this excitation energy transfer (EET). We examine whether bipartite quantum nonlocality, a property that expresses a stronger-than-entanglement form of correlation, exists between different pairs of chromophores in the FMO complex when modeling the EET by the hierarchically coupled equations of motion method. We compare the results for nonlocality with the amount of bipartite entanglement in the system. In particular, we analyze in what way these correlation properties are affected by different initial conditions. It is found that bipartite nonlocality only exists when the initial conditions are chosen in an unphysiological manner and probably is absent when considering the EET in the FMO complex in its natural habitat. It is also seen that nonlocality and entanglement behave quite differently in this system. In particular, for localized initial states, nonlocality only exists on a very short time scale and then drops to zero in an abrupt manner. As already known from previous studies, quantum entanglement between chromophore pairs on the other hand is oscillating and exponentially decaying and follow thereby a pattern more similar to the chromophore population dynamics. The abrupt disappearance of nonlocality in the presence of nonvanishing entanglement is a phenomenon we call nonlocality sudden death; a striking manifestation of the difference between these two types of correlations in quantum systems.