Quantum-Coherent Electronic Energy Transfer: Did  Nature Think of It First?


Author: Gregory D. Scholes* 

Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Institute for Optical Sciences and Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control, University of  Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6 Canada  
Conference/Journal: J Phys. Chem. Lett.
Date published: 2010
Other:
 Volume ID: 1   ,  Pages: 2-8   ,  Special Notes: r 2010 American Chemical Society DOI: 10.1021/jz900062f   ,  Word Count: 111  
    Recent research suggests that electronic energy transfer in complex 

biological and chemical systems can involve quantum coherence, even at ambient 

temperature conditions. It is particularly notable that this phenomenon has been 

found in some photosynthetic proteins. The role of these proteins in photosynth- 

esis is introduced. The meaning of quantum-coherent energy transfer is explained, 

and it is compared to F€orster energy transfer. Broad, interdisciplinary questions for 

future work are noted. For example, how can chemists use quantum coherence in 

synthetic systems (perhaps in organic photovoltaics)? Why did certain photosyn- 

thetic organisms evolve to use quantum coherence in light harvesting? Are these 

electronic excitations entangled?



full text: http://139.57.180.167/4P03/Scholes3.pdf