Energy transfer to the phonons of a macromolecule through light pumping

Year: 2021

Authors: Faraji E., Franzosi R., Mancini S., Pettini M.

Autors Affiliation: School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, Camerino, 62032, Italy; QSTAR and INO-CNR, largo Enrico Fermi 2, Firenze, 50125, Italy; INFN Sezione di Perugia, Perugia, 06123, Italy; Aix Marseille Univ, University de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Marseille, France; CNRS Centre de Physique Thyorique UMR7332, Marseille, 13288, France

Abstract: In the present paper we address the problem of the energy downconversion of the light absorbed
by a protein into its internal vibrational modes. We consider the case in which the light receptors are fluorophores either naturally co-expressed with the protein or artificially covalently bound to some of its amino acids. In a recent work [Phys. Rev. X 8, 031061 (2018)], it has been experimentally found that by shining a laser light on the fluorophores attached to a protein the energy fed to it can be channeled into the normal mode of lowest frequency of vibration thus making the subunits of the protein coherently oscillate. Even if the phonon condensation phenomenon has been theoretically explained, the first step – the energy transfer from electronic excitation into phonon excitation – has been left open. The present work is aimed at filling this gap.

Journal/Review: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS

Volume: 11 (1)      Pages from: 6591-1  to: 6591-14

More Information: E.F. warmly thanks the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze for having co-funded her PhD fellowship. M.P. participated in this work within the framework of the project MOLINT which has received funding from the Excellence Initiative of Aix-Marseille University – A*Midex, a French “Investissements d´Avenir” programme. R.F. acknowledges support by the QuantERA ERA-NET Co-fund 731473 (Project Q-CLOCKS).
KeyWords: Quantum dynamics, life matter
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85856-5

Citations: 4
data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-03-24
References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)
Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click here
Connecting to view citations from IsiWeb: Click here