Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Excitation Energy Transfer in Photosynthetic Systems

Schröter, Marco LU (2014) KEMP39 20132
Department of Chemistry
Abstract
The excitation energy transfer properties of dimer systems and the light harvesting complex 2 of purple bacteria are investigated using the hierarchy equations of motion approach. While the bacteriochlorophyll molecules are modeled as electronic two level systems applying the Frenkel exciton Hamiltonian, intramolecular vibrations and environmental uctuations are included via an experimental and model spectral densities. A Fourier analysis method is used to unveil the origin of oscillatory features in the evolution of the populations and coherences of the reduced density matrix. It is demonstrated that the underlying vibronic level structure is directly responsible for the observed long living oscillations.
Popular Abstract
The photosynthesis of plants, algae and purple bacteria is a highly ecient process. Light, collected by huge antenna systems, is transfered via excitation energy transfer to the reaction center, where the energy is used to drive chemical reactions. Recent experiments gave rise to a discussion whether the transfer eciency is enhanced via a wavelike character of the transfer through a system. We investigate the transfer step in the light harvesting complex 2 of purple bacteria on the basis of reduced models, using the hierarchy equations of motion approach. This approach is highly ecient and allows an in principle exact description of the whole system which makes it possible to have a closer look at the origins of the experimental results.... (More)
The photosynthesis of plants, algae and purple bacteria is a highly ecient process. Light, collected by huge antenna systems, is transfered via excitation energy transfer to the reaction center, where the energy is used to drive chemical reactions. Recent experiments gave rise to a discussion whether the transfer eciency is enhanced via a wavelike character of the transfer through a system. We investigate the transfer step in the light harvesting complex 2 of purple bacteria on the basis of reduced models, using the hierarchy equations of motion approach. This approach is highly ecient and allows an in principle exact description of the whole system which makes it possible to have a closer look at the origins of the experimental results. Our results indicate that vibrations of the molecules and the environment play an important role in the underlying mechanisms. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Schröter, Marco LU
supervisor
organization
course
KEMP39 20132
year
type
L3 - Miscellaneous, Projetcs etc.
subject
keywords
kemisk fysik, chemical physics
language
English
id
4780491
date added to LUP
2014-11-19 12:03:37
date last changed
2014-11-19 12:03:37
@misc{4780491,
  abstract     = {{The excitation energy transfer properties of dimer systems and the light harvesting complex 2 of purple bacteria are investigated using the hierarchy equations of motion approach. While the bacteriochlorophyll molecules are modeled as electronic two level systems applying the Frenkel exciton Hamiltonian, intramolecular vibrations and environmental uctuations are included via an experimental and model spectral densities. A Fourier analysis method is used to unveil the origin of oscillatory features in the evolution of the populations and coherences of the reduced density matrix. It is demonstrated that the underlying vibronic level structure is directly responsible for the observed long living oscillations.}},
  author       = {{Schröter, Marco}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Excitation Energy Transfer in Photosynthetic Systems}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}