Quieting a noisy antenna reproduces photosynthetic light-harvesting spectra
- Laboratory of Quantum Materials Optoelectronics, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.; OSTI
- Laboratory of Quantum Materials Optoelectronics, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
- Institute of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G128QQ, UK.; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada.
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Quantum Materials Optoelectronics, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada.
Photosynthesis achieves near unity light-harvesting quantum efficiency yet it remains unknown whether there exists a fundamental organizing principle giving rise to robust light harvesting in the presence of dynamic light conditions and noisy physiological environments. Here, we present a noise-canceling network model that relates noisy physiological conditions, power conversion efficiency, and the resulting absorption spectra of photosynthetic organisms. Using light conditions in full solar exposure, light filtered by oxygenic phototrophs, and light filtered under seawater, we derived optimal absorption characteristics for efficient solar power conversion. We show how light-harvesting antennae can be tuned to maximize power conversion efficiency by minimizing excitation noise, thus providing a unified theoretical basis for the observed wavelength dependence of absorption in green plants, purple bacteria, and green sulfur bacteria.
- Research Organization:
- Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0001035
- OSTI ID:
- 1801413
- Journal Information:
- Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 6498 Vol. 368; ISSN 0036-8075
- Publisher:
- AAAS
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English