Signatures of coherent energy transfer and exciton delocalization in time-resolved optical cross correlations

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Main Authors: Gestsson, Hallmann Óskar, Olaya-Castro, Alexandra
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Gestsson, Hallmann Óskar
Olaya-Castro, Alexandra
author_facet Gestsson, Hallmann Óskar
Olaya-Castro, Alexandra
contents We investigate how optical second-order cross correlations witness the quantum features of a prototype donor-acceptor light-harvesting unit. By considering a pair of detuned two-level emitters electronically coupled and incoherently driven to a non-equilibrium steady-state, we gain insight into how electronic quantum properties such as exciton eigenstate delocalization, coherent energy transfer and steady-state electronic coherence, are manifested in the joint probability of emission or optical second-order cross correlation. Specifically, we show that the frequency associated with oscillations present in time-resolved second-order cross correlation functions quantifies not only the time scale of coherent energy transfer but also the degree of delocalization of the exciton eigenstates. Furthermore, we show that time-resolved cross correlations directly witness steady-state electronic coherence. Our work strengthens the idea that measurements of the intensity quantum cross correlations can provide distinctive signatures of the quantum behavior of biophysical emitters.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_17741
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Signatures of coherent energy transfer and exciton delocalization in time-resolved optical cross correlations
Gestsson, Hallmann Óskar
Olaya-Castro, Alexandra
Chemical Physics
Biological Physics
Quantum Physics
We investigate how optical second-order cross correlations witness the quantum features of a prototype donor-acceptor light-harvesting unit. By considering a pair of detuned two-level emitters electronically coupled and incoherently driven to a non-equilibrium steady-state, we gain insight into how electronic quantum properties such as exciton eigenstate delocalization, coherent energy transfer and steady-state electronic coherence, are manifested in the joint probability of emission or optical second-order cross correlation. Specifically, we show that the frequency associated with oscillations present in time-resolved second-order cross correlation functions quantifies not only the time scale of coherent energy transfer but also the degree of delocalization of the exciton eigenstates. Furthermore, we show that time-resolved cross correlations directly witness steady-state electronic coherence. Our work strengthens the idea that measurements of the intensity quantum cross correlations can provide distinctive signatures of the quantum behavior of biophysical emitters.
title Signatures of coherent energy transfer and exciton delocalization in time-resolved optical cross correlations
topic Chemical Physics
Biological Physics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.17741