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Content archived on 2024-06-18

The interplay between quantum coherence and environment in the photosynthetic electronic energy transfer and light-harvesting: a quantum chemical picture

Objective

Photon energy absorption and electronic energy transfer (EET) represents the first fundamental step in both natural and artificial light-harvesting systems. The most striking example is photosynthesis, in which plants, algae and bacteria are able to transfer the absorbed light to the reaction centers in proteins with almost 100% quantum efficiency. Recent two-dimensional spectroscopic measurements suggest that the role of the environment (a protein or a given embedding supramolecular architecture) is fundamental in determining both the dynamics and the efficiency of the process. What is still missing in order to fully understand and characterize EET is a new theoretical and computational approach which can reproduce the microscopic dynamics of the process based on an accurate description of the playing actors, i.e. the transferring pigments and the environment. Such an approach is a formidable challenge due to the large network of interactions which couples all the parts and makes the dynamics of the process a complex competition of random fluctuations and coherences. Only a strategy based upon an integration of computational models with different length and time scales can achieve the required completeness of the description. This project aims at achieving such an integration by developing completely new theoretical and computational tools based on the merging of quantum mechanical methods, polarizable force fields and dielectric continuum models. Such a strategy in which the fundamental effects of polarization between the pigments and the environment will be accounted for in a dynamically coupled way will allow to simulate the full dynamic process of light harvesting and energy transfer in complex multichromophoric supramolecular systems.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

ERC-2011-StG_20101014
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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Host institution

UNIVERSITA DI PISA
EU contribution
€ 1 300 000,00
Address
LUNGARNO PACINOTTI 43/44
56126 PISA
Italy

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Region
Centro (IT) Toscana Pisa
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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Beneficiaries (1)

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