The quantum physics of artificial light harvesting

(Vienna University of Technology) Plants and bacteria make use of sunlight with remarkably high efficiency: nine out of ten absorbed light particles are being put to use in an ordinary bacterium. For years, it has been a pressing question of modern research whether or not effects from quantum physics are responsible for this outstanding performance of natural light harvesters. A team of European research groups, a collaboration between universities in Vienna, Ulm, Cartagena, Prague, Berlin and L...