Quantum simulator of an open quantum system using superconducting qubits: exciton transport in photosynthetic complexes

ORAL

Abstract

In the initial stage of photosynthesis, light-harvested energy is transferred with remarkably high efficiency to a reaction center, with the vibrational environment assisting the transport mechanism. It is of great interest to mimic this process with present-day technologies. Here we propose an analog quantum simulator of open system dynamics, where noise engineering of the environment has a central role. In particular, we propose the use of superconducting qubits for the simulation of exciton transport in the Fenna-Matthew-Olson protein, a prototypical photosynthetic complex. Our method allows for a single-molecule implementation and the investigation of energy transfer pathways as well as non-Markovian and spatiotemporal noise-correlation effects.

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Authors

  • Sarah Mostame

    Harvard University

  • Patrick Rebentrost

    Harvard University

  • Alexander Eisfeld

    Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, Harvard University

  • Andrew J. Kerman

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lincoln Laboratory - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Dimitris I. Tsomokos

    University of London

  • Al\'an Aspuru-Guzik

    Harvard University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA