Enhanced energy transport in genetically engineered excitonic networks

Year: 2016

Authors: Park H., Heldman N., Rebentrost P., Abbondanza L., Iagatti A., Alessi A., Patrizi B., Salvalaggio M., Bussotti L., Mohseni M., Caruso F., Johnsen H.C., Fusco R., Foggi P., Scudo P.F., Lloyd S., Belcher A.M.

Autors Affiliation: MIT, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA; MIT, David H Koch Inst Integrat Canc Res, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA; MIT, Dept Biol Engn, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA; MIT, Elect Res Lab, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA; Ist Eni Donegani Eni SpA, Res Ctr Nonconvent Energy, I-28100 Novara, Italy; Univ Florence, European Lab NonIinear Spect, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; INO CNR, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; Univ Florence, QSTAR, I-50125 Florence, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Phys & Astron, I-50125 Florence, Italy; Univ Perugia, Dept Chem, I-06123 Perugia, Italy; MIT, Dept Mech Engn, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA.

Abstract: One of the challenges for achieving efficient exciton transport in solar energy conversion systems is precise structural control of the light-harvesting building blocks. Here, we create a tunable material consisting of a connected chromophore network on an ordered biological virus template. Using genetic engineering, we establish a link between the inter-chromophoric distances and emerging transport properties. The combination of spectroscopy measurements and dynamic modelling enables us to elucidate quantum coherent and classical incoherent energy transport at room temperature. Through genetic modifications, we obtain a significant enhancement of exciton diffusion length of about 68% in an intermediate quantum-classical regime.

Journal/Review: NATURE MATERIALS

Volume: 15 (2)      Pages from: 211  to: 216

More Information: This work was supported from Eni, S.p.A. (Italy) through the MIT Energy Initiative Program. H.P. thanks Kwanjeong Educational Foundation for its financial support, and G. W. Hwang for allowing us to use a fluorometer. F.C. has been supported by EU FP7 Marie-Curie Programme (Career Integration Grant) and by MIUR-FIRB grant (Project No. RBFR10M3SB).
KeyWords: relaxation dynamics; quantum coherence; light; spectroscopy; absorption; complexes; porphyrin; resonance; systems; motion
DOI: 10.1038/NMAT4448

Citations: 77
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