Abstract

Recent observations of oscillatory features in the optical response of photosynthetic complexes have revealed evidence for surprisingly long-lasting electronic coherences which can coexist with energy transport. These observations have ignited multidisciplinary interest in the possible role of quantum effects in biological systems, including the fundamental – though still unresolved – question of how electronic coherence can survive in biological surroundings. Here we show that in photosynthetic complexes, non-trivial spectral structures in environmental fluctuations can allow for non-equilibrium processes that lead to the spontaneous generation and sustenance of electronic coherence even at physiological temperatures. Developing advanced new simulation tools to treat these effects, this new insight provides a firm microscopic basis to successfully reproduce the experimentally observed coherence times in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex, and thus sets the ground for the future assessment of the role of quantum effects in photosynthetic light harvesting efficiency.