PRIN 2015

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Title: Prin 2015 – ICCOM – 2015XBZ5YA_005

ICCOM Principal Investigator: Julien Bloino

Project Type: National

Duration: 05/02/2017-04/02/2020

Abstract: The possibility that quantum mechanics could affect the efficiency of energy transfer (ET) and charge transfer (CT) events in biologically relevant processes has fascinated researchers for almost a century and, more recently, has stimulated a lively research field. Light harvesting and ET in photosynthesis is a touchstone because it represents the most solid evidence that quantum phenomena, such as superposition of states (coherences) and quantum entanglement, really play a key role in biology. The striking efficiency of ET and CT in nature depends on ultrafast excited state dynamics including energy transfer and charge separation, where quantum superposition and coherence dynamics are crucial.
We will characterize the mechanism and the degree of ‘quantumness’ of ET and CT at the interface with state-of-the-art coherent 2D and 3D ultrafast techniques. Finally, we will employ theoretical approaches at the forefront of the field to model the physical-chemical processes and suggest possible future directions in the systems’ design.

Financed by: Italian Ministry for Education and Research (MIUR) through PRIN project 2015XBZ5YA.