Efficiency of energy transfer in a light-harvesting system under quantum coherence

TL;DR

This study explores how quantum coherence influences energy transfer efficiency in a light-harvesting model, revealing that initial quantum superpositions significantly affect transfer success, especially at low temperatures.

Contribution

It demonstrates the impact of initial quantum superpositions on energy transfer efficiency in a photosynthetic-like system using a quantum jump approach.

Findings

Efficiency depends on quantum superposition properties of initial states

Symmetric and asymmetric superpositions influence transfer efficiency

Initial state properties can control efficiency at low temperatures

Abstract

We investigate the role of quantum coherence in the efficiency of excitation transfer in a ring-hub arrangement of interacting two-level systems, mimicking a light-harvesting antenna connected to a reaction center as it is found in natural photosynthetic systems. By using a quantum jump approach, we demonstrate that in the presence of quantum coherent energy transfer and energetic disorder, the efficiency of excitation transfer from the antenna to the reaction center depends intimately on the quantum superposition properties of the initial state. In particular, we find that efficiency is sensitive to symmetric and asymmetric superposition of states in the basis of localized excitations, indicating that initial state properties can be used as a efficiency control parameter at low temperatures.