Spectral Hole-Burning in Photosynthetic Pigment-Protein Complexes: Size-Dependent Dynamics

Abstract

The initial step in the photosynthetic process is the absorption of light by chlorophyll-type molecules bound to proteins in so-called light-harvesting (LH) complexes, and the subsequent transfer of the excitation energy among these antennae until it is trapped by the reaction center (RC). This entire process occurs in less than 100 ps. In the RC an electron is then transferred across the biological membrane, by which an electrochemical potential gradient is generated and the energy stored for subsequent processes.