On-chip bio-opto-mechanics: Controlling phonon-assisted processes in single biomolecules

光合作用的生物体依靠纳米级的分子复合体吸收阳光，并传递相关的电子激发能量，以启动维持地球上生命过程的化学能转换步骤。理论和实验研究表明，这种捕光复合体以一种多样化的方式利用不同的分子振动来优化能量转移过程。但振动究竟如何影响光合作用单位中能量动力学的效率、方向性和量子性质还有待完全了解。为了理解这一点，有必要发展科学方法，允许精确控制和增强或抑制单个分子的特定振动运动。在这个项目中，我们将从理论和实验上研究机械振动在生物分子传递能量的方式中的作用，在我们的实验中，生物分子可以从太阳光或激发激光源中吸收能量。通过研究嵌入在可以控制机械振动的纳米制造设备中的生物分子，我们将为在分子尺度上控制能量动力学的微观过程带来新的曙光。在这个项目中创造的知识将成为利用我们对自然过程进行反向工程的能力来实现新型能量捕获和传输设备的基础。

Photosynthetic organisms rely on nano-scale molecular complexes to absorb sunlight and transfer the associated electronic excitation energy to initiate the chemical energy conversion steps that sustain life processes on Earth. Theoretical and experimental studies suggest that such light-harvesting complexes exploit, in a versatile manner, different molecular vibrations to optimise energy transfer processes. But how exactly vibrations affect the efficiency, directionality, and quantum properties of energy dynamics in photosynthetic units is yet to be fully understood. To gain this understanding it is necessary to develop scientific approaches that allow precise control and enhancement or suppression of specific vibrational motions of individual molecules. In this project, we will investigate, both theoretically and experimentally, the role of mechanical vibrations in the way bio-molecules transfer the energy that they can absorb from sunlight or, in our experiments, excitation laser sources.By investigating bio-molecules embedded within nano-fabricated devices that can control mechanical vibrations, we will shine new light onto the microscopic processes that control energy dynamics at the molecular scale. The knowledge created in this project will be the foundation to realise novel energy capture and transfer devices by taking advantage of our ability to reverse engineering natural processes.