The role of quantum coherence in dimer and trimer excitation energy transfer

• Recent progress in resource theory of quantum coherence has resulted in measures to quantify coherence in quantum systems. Especially, the l1-norm and relative entropy of coherence have been shown to be proper quantifiers of coherence and have been used to investigate coherence properties in different operational tasks. Since long-lasting quantum coherence has been experimentally confirmed in a number of photosynthetic complexes, it has been debated if and how coherence is connected to the known efficiency of population transfer in such systems. In this study, we investigate quantitatively the relationship between coherence, as quantified by l1 norm and relative entropy of coherence, and efficiency, as quantified by fidelity, for population transfer between end-sites in a network of two-level quantum systems. In particular, we use the coherence averaged over the duration of the population transfer in order to carry out a quantitative comparision between coherence and fidelity. Our results show that although coherence is a necessary requirement for population transfer, there is no unique relation between coherence and the efficiency of the transfer process.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Annan fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Other Physics Topics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Quantum coherence

energy transport

Fysik med inriktning mot atom- molekyl- och kondenserande materiens fysik

Physics with spec. in Atomic, Molecular and Condensed Matter Physics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)