Multipartite Quantum Entanglement Evolution in Photosynthetic Complexes

TL;DR

This study explores how multipartite entanglement evolves in the FMO photosynthetic complex using advanced simulation techniques, revealing its maximum along key energy transfer pathways and enhancing understanding of quantum effects in biology.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive method for evaluating multipartite entanglement in biological systems, including measures not previously computed, and validates the use of monogamy bounds for exact calculations.

Findings

Multipartite entanglement peaks along energy transfer pathways.

Monogamy bounds are saturated in the single exciton subspace.

Enhanced evaluation of entanglement measures in photosynthetic complexes.

Abstract

We investigate the evolution of entanglement in the Fenna-Matthew-Olson (FMO) complex based on simulations using the scaled hierarchy equation of motion (HEOM) approach. We examine the role of multipartite entanglement in the FMO complex by direct computation of the convex roof optimization for a number of measures, including some that have not been previously evaluated. We also consider the role of monogamy of entanglement in these simulations. We utilize the fact that the monogamy bounds are saturated in the single exciton subspace. This enables us to compute more measures of entanglement exactly and also to validate the evaluation of the convex roof. We then use direct computation of the convex roof to evaluate measures that are not determined by monogamy. This approach provides a more complete account of the entanglement in these systems than has been available to date. Our results support the hypothesis that multipartite entanglement is maximum primary along the two distinct electronic energy transfer pathways.