Equivalence of quantum and classical coherence in electronic energy transfer

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2011 May;83(5 Pt 1):051911. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.83.051911. Epub 2011 May 12.

Abstract

To investigate the effect of quantum coherence on electronic energy transfer, which is the subject of current interest in photosynthesis, we solve the problem of transport for the simplest model of an aggregate of monomers interacting through dipole-dipole forces using both quantum and classical dynamics. We conclude that for realistic coupling strengths quantum and classical coherent transport are identical. This is demonstrated by numerical calculations for a linear chain and for the photosynthetic Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex.

MeSH terms

  • Electron Transport
  • Energy Transfer*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Photosynthesis*
  • Quantum Theory
  • Time Factors