Insights into long-range, high-temperature quantum coherence in quantum dot networks from photosynthesis

Two-dimensional femtosecond spectroscopic studies have suggested some photosynthetic light harvesting protein complexes (LHCs) utilise quantum searches to improve the efficiency of exciton transport through networks of chromophores to chemical reaction centers (RCs) [1-4]. This has stimulated theoretical work in the quantum chemistry and quantum information communities, with particular focus on the so-called Frenkel Hamiltonian, which models chromophores as quantum dots. Findings indicate that high-efficiency exciton transport in individual LHCs is achieved via an interplay between excitonic quantum coherence, resonant vibrations in the surrounding protein matrix, and thermal decoherence [5-13].