Highly Efficient Noise-Assisted Energy Transport in Classical Oscillator Systems

Abstract

Photosynthesis is a biological process that involves the highly efficient transport of energy captured from the Sun to a reaction center, where conversion into useful biochemical energy takes place. Using a quantum description, Rebentrost etal. [New J. Phys. 11, 033003 (2009)] and Plenio and Huelga [New J. Phys. 10, 113019 (2008)] have explained this high efficiency as the result of the interplay between the quantum coherent evolution of the photosynthetic system and noise introduced by its surrounding environment. Even though one can always use a quantum perspective to describe any physical process, since everything follows the laws of quantum mechanics, is the use of quantum theory imperative to explain this high efficiency? Recently, it has been shown by Eisfeld and Briggs [Phys. Rev. E 85, 046118 (2012)] that a purely classical model can be used to explain main aspects of the energy transfer in photosynthetic systems. Using this approach, we demonstrate explicitly here that highly efficient noise-assisted energy transport can be found as well in purely classical systems. The wider scope of applicability of the enhancement of energy transfer assisted by noise might open new ways for developing new technologies aimed at enhancing the efficiency of a myriad of energy transfer systems, from information channels in microelectronic circuits to long-distance high-voltage electrical lines.