Towards experimental verifications of quantum transport mechanisms in photosynthetic networks

Description
Noise and memory effects may have a huge impact on transport phenomena in complex networks, a very fascinating topic of continual interest in many areas of physics, sociology, biology, and others. In particular, in quantum information science this has been rejuvenated recently by the prospect of transfer of quantum information in quantum networks, and in biology recurring interest in understanding the fundamental processes influencing the remarkable efficiency (almost 100%) for excitation energy transfer in photosynthetic complexes. In particular, very recently we have identified the key mechanisms through which noise, such as dephasing, perhaps counter intuitively, may actually aid transport through a dissipative network by opening up additional pathways and suppressing the ineffective ones. Here, we propose: i) a quantum optical simulator of noise-assisted transport, and ii) an experimental test for these mechanisms by applying quantum optimal control theory to real systems. These results could allow us to deeper understand natural photosynthesis, e.g. discriminating more easily the different transport pathways, and so enhance our comprehension of the role that coherent processes may play in biological complexes, paving the way also for the realization of a new generation of more powerful solar energy technologies based on quantum phenomena. More info: http://qubit-ulm.com/dr-filippo-caruso
Organised by Andrea Rapisarda