Simulation of Nonradiative Energy Transfer in Photosynthetic Systems Using a Quantum Computer

Figure 1

Schematics of the energy transfer process from light-harvesting antenna (the donor) through a chain of acceptor molecules to the reaction center. The excited states of the participating molecules, denoted as , are broadened and they allow for resonance energy transfer via irreversible Förster-type resonant process of exciton transfer from donor to acceptor even if , which is denoted by the thick arrow labelled FRET. However, if the coupling between the donor and the acceptor molecules is strong enough, the process becomes reversible and the exciton can go to and through many times before it is transferred; this situation is labelled by “reversible EET” and it does not require matching of the energy levels and .