Non-Markovianity between site-pairs in FMO complex using discrete-time quantum jump model

TL;DR

This paper investigates non-Markovian quantum effects in the FMO complex using a discrete quantum jump model, revealing how memory effects in site-pairs relate to enhanced energy transport efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces a discrete quantum jump approach to quantify non-Markovianity in the FMO complex, linking memory effects to transport efficiency improvements.

Findings

Higher non-Markovian memory effects observed in specific site-pairs.

Non-Markovianity correlates with faster energy transport.

Discrete quantum jump model effectively captures environment-system interactions.

Abstract

The Fenna-Mathews-Olson (FMO) complex present in green sulphur bacteria is known to mediate the transfer of excitation energy between light-harvesting chlorosomes and membrane-embedded bacterial reaction centres. Due to the high efficiency of such transport process, it is an extensively studied pigment-protein complex system with the eventual aim of modelling and engineering similar dynamics in other systems and use it for real-time application. Some studies have attributed the enhancement of transport efficiency to wave-like behaviour and non-Markovian quantum jumps resulting in long-lived and revival of quantum coherence, respectively. Since dynamics in these systems reside in the quantum-classical regime, quantum simulation of such dynamics will help in exploring the subtle role of quantum features in enhancing the transport efficiency, which has remained unsettled. Discrete simulation of the dynamics in the FMO complex can help in efficient engineering of the heat bath and controlling the environment with the system. In this work, using the discrete quantum jump model we show and quantify the presence of higher non-Markovian memory effects in specific site-pairs when internal structures and environmental effects are in favour of faster transport. As a consequence, our study leans towards the connection between non-Markovianity in quantum jumps with the enhancement of transport efficiency.