The Role of Quantum Decoherence in FRET

TL;DR

This paper explores how quantum decoherence influences resonance energy transfer (FRET), clarifying its quantum-mechanical nature and extending understanding beyond classical models, with implications for biophysical applications.

Contribution

It provides an elementary derivation of FRET incorporating quantum decoherence, enhancing the theoretical framework for quantum-biophysical processes.

Findings

Decoherence plays a crucial role in FRET dynamics.

Quantum superpositions are suppressed in FRET processes.

The analysis extends classical FRET theory to quantum regimes.

Abstract

Resonance energy transfer has become an indispensable experimental tool for single-molecule and single-cell biophysics. Its physical underpinnings, however, are subtle: It involves a discrete jump of excitation from one molecule to another, and so we regard it as a strongly quantum-mechanical process. And yet, its kinetics differ from what many of us were taught about two-state quantum systems; quantum superpositions of the states do not seem to arise; and so on. Although J. R. Oppenheimer and T. F\"orster navigated these subtleties successfully, it remains hard to find an elementary derivation in modern language. The key step involves acknowledging quantum decoherence. Appreciating that aspect can be helpful when we attempt to extend our understanding to situations where F\"orster's original analysis is not applicable.