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Strong antenna-enhanced fluorescence of a single light-harvesting complex shows photon antibunching

Author

Listed:
  • Emilie Wientjes

    (ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park)

  • Jan Renger

    (ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park)

  • Alberto G. Curto

    (ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park
    Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University)

  • Richard Cogdell

    (Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Biomedical Research Building)

  • Niek F. van Hulst

    (ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park
    ICREA—Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats)

Abstract

The nature of the highly efficient energy transfer in photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes is a subject of intense research. Unfortunately, the low fluorescence efficiency and limited photostability hampers the study of individual light-harvesting complexes at ambient conditions. Here we demonstrate an over 500-fold fluorescence enhancement of light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2) at the single-molecule level by coupling to a gold nanoantenna. The resonant antenna produces an excitation enhancement of circa 100 times and a fluorescence lifetime shortening to ~\n20 ps. The radiative rate enhancement results in a 5.5-fold-improved fluorescence quantum efficiency. Exploiting the unique brightness, we have recorded the first photon antibunching of a single light-harvesting complex under ambient conditions, showing that the 27 bacteriochlorophylls coordinated by LH2 act as a non-classical single-photon emitter. The presented bright antenna-enhanced LH2 emission is a highly promising system to study energy transfer and the role of quantum coherence at the level of single complexes.

Suggested Citation

  • Emilie Wientjes & Jan Renger & Alberto G. Curto & Richard Cogdell & Niek F. van Hulst, 2014. "Strong antenna-enhanced fluorescence of a single light-harvesting complex shows photon antibunching," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-7, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms5236
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5236
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