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Quantum biology revisited

Cao, Jianshu ; Cogdell, Richard J. ; Coker, David F. ; Duan, Hong Guang ; Hauer, Jürgen ; Kleinekathöfer, Ulrich ; Jansen, Thomas L.C. ; Mančal, Tomáš ; Dwayne Miller, R. J. and Ogilvie, Jennifer P. , et al. (2020) In Science Advances 6(14).
Abstract

Photosynthesis is a highly optimized process from which valuable lessons can be learned about the operating principles in nature. Its primary steps involve energy transport operating near theoretical quantum limits in efficiency. Recently, extensive research was motivated by the hypothesis that nature used quantum coherences to direct energy transfer. This body of work, a cornerstone for the field of quantum biology, rests on the interpretation of small-amplitude oscillations in two-dimensional electronic spectra of photosynthetic complexes. This Review discusses recent work reexamining these claims and demonstrates that interexciton coherences are too short lived to have any functional significance in photosynthetic energy transfer.... (More)

Photosynthesis is a highly optimized process from which valuable lessons can be learned about the operating principles in nature. Its primary steps involve energy transport operating near theoretical quantum limits in efficiency. Recently, extensive research was motivated by the hypothesis that nature used quantum coherences to direct energy transfer. This body of work, a cornerstone for the field of quantum biology, rests on the interpretation of small-amplitude oscillations in two-dimensional electronic spectra of photosynthetic complexes. This Review discusses recent work reexamining these claims and demonstrates that interexciton coherences are too short lived to have any functional significance in photosynthetic energy transfer. Instead, the observed long-lived coherences originate from impulsively excited vibrations, generally observed in femtosecond spectroscopy. These efforts, collectively, lead to a more detailed understanding of the quantum aspects of dissipation. Nature, rather than trying to avoid dissipation, exploits it via engineering of exciton-bath interaction to create efficient energy flow.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Science Advances
volume
6
issue
14
article number
eaaz4888
publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85083329526
  • pmid:32284982
ISSN
2375-2548
DOI
10.1126/sciadv.aaz4888
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
78db4367-ba3a-4b2b-9379-6e934724a730
date added to LUP
2020-04-30 12:23:59
date last changed
2024-06-26 14:27:13
@article{78db4367-ba3a-4b2b-9379-6e934724a730,
  abstract     = {{<p>Photosynthesis is a highly optimized process from which valuable lessons can be learned about the operating principles in nature. Its primary steps involve energy transport operating near theoretical quantum limits in efficiency. Recently, extensive research was motivated by the hypothesis that nature used quantum coherences to direct energy transfer. This body of work, a cornerstone for the field of quantum biology, rests on the interpretation of small-amplitude oscillations in two-dimensional electronic spectra of photosynthetic complexes. This Review discusses recent work reexamining these claims and demonstrates that interexciton coherences are too short lived to have any functional significance in photosynthetic energy transfer. Instead, the observed long-lived coherences originate from impulsively excited vibrations, generally observed in femtosecond spectroscopy. These efforts, collectively, lead to a more detailed understanding of the quantum aspects of dissipation. Nature, rather than trying to avoid dissipation, exploits it via engineering of exciton-bath interaction to create efficient energy flow.</p>}},
  author       = {{Cao, Jianshu and Cogdell, Richard J. and Coker, David F. and Duan, Hong Guang and Hauer, Jürgen and Kleinekathöfer, Ulrich and Jansen, Thomas L.C. and Mančal, Tomáš and Dwayne Miller, R. J. and Ogilvie, Jennifer P. and Prokhorenko, Valentyn I. and Renger, Thomas and Tan, Howe Siang and Tempelaar, Roel and Thorwart, Michael and Thyrhaug, Erling and Westenhoff, Sebastian and Zigmantas, Donatas}},
  issn         = {{2375-2548}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{14}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
  series       = {{Science Advances}},
  title        = {{Quantum biology revisited}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaz4888}},
  doi          = {{10.1126/sciadv.aaz4888}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}