Quantum simulator of an open quantum system using superconducting qubits: exciton transport in photosynthetic complexes
Open quantum system approaches are widely used in the description of physical, chemical and biological systems. A famous example is electronic excitation transfer in the initial stage of photosynthesis, where harvested energy is transferred with remarkably high efficiency to a reaction center. This transport is affected by the motion of a structured vibrational environment, which makes simulations on a classical computer very demanding. Here we propose an analog quantum simulator of complex open system dynamics with a precisely engineered quantum environment. Our setup is based on superconducting circuits, a well established technology. As an example, we demonstrate that it is feasible to simulate exciton transport in the Fenna–Matthews–Olson photosynthetic complex. Our approach allows for a controllable single-molecule simulation and the investigation of energy transfer pathways as well as non-Markovian noise-correlation effects.
- Research Organization:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Excitonics (CE)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0001088
- OSTI ID:
- 1386370
- Journal Information:
- New Journal of Physics, Vol. 14, Issue 10; Related Information: CE partners with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (lead); Brookhaven National Laboratory; Harvard University; ISSN 1367-2630
- Publisher:
- IOP Publishing
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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