Hou-Dao Zhang

Dynamic protein conformations preferentially drive energy transfer along the active chain of the photosystem II reaction centre

One longstanding puzzle concerning photosystem II, a core component of photosynthesis, is that only one of the two symmetric branches in its reaction centre is active in electron transfer. To investigate the effect of the photosystem II environment on the preferential selection of the energy transfer pathway (a prerequisite for electron transfer), we have constructed an exciton model via extensive molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations based on a recent X-ray structure. Our results suggest that it is essential to take into account an ensemble of protein conformations to accurately compute the site energies. We identify the cofactor CLA606 of active chain as the most probable site for the energy excitation. We further pinpoint a number of charged protein residues that collectively lower the CLA606 site energy. Our work provides insights into the understanding of molecular mechanisms of the core machinery of the green-plant photosynthesis.

Advancing Hierarchical Equations of Motion for Efficient Evaluation of Coherent Two-dimensional Spectroscopy

To advance hierarchical equations of motion as a standard theory for quantum dissipative dynamics, we put forward a mixed Heisenberg-Schrodinger scheme with block-matrix implementation on efficient evaluation of nonlinear optical response function. The new approach is also integrated with optimized hierarchical theory and numerical filtering algorithm. Different configurations of coherent two-dimensional spectroscopy of model excitonic dimer systems are investigated, with focusing on the effects of intermolecular transfer coupling and bi-exciton interaction.

Nonperturbative spin–boson and spin–spin dynamics and nonlinear Fano interferences: A unified dissipaton theory based study

We consider the hybrid system-bath dynamics, based on the Yans dissipaton formalism [Y. J. Yan, J. Chem. Phys. 140, 054105 (2014)]. This theory provides a unified quasi-particle treatment on three distinct classes of quantum bath, coupled nonperturbatively to arbitrary quantum systems. In this work, to study the entangled system and bath polarization and nonlinear Fano interference, we incorporate further the time-dependent light field, which interacts with both the molecular system and the collective bath dipoles directly. Numerical demonstrations are carried out on a two-level system, with comparison between phonon and exciton baths, in both linear and nonlinear Fano interference regimes.

Correlated driving and dissipation in two-dimensional spectroscopy

The correlation between coherent driving and non-Markovian dissipation plays a vital role in optical processes. To exhibit its effect on the simulation of optical spectroscopy, we explore the correlated driving-dissipation equation (CODDE) [R. X. Xu and Y. J. Yan, J. Chem. Phys. 116, 9196 (2002)], which modifies the conventional Redfield theory with the inclusion of correlated driving-dissipation effect at the second-order system-bath coupling level. With an exciton model mimicking the Fenna-Matthews-Olson pigment-protein complex, we compare between the Redfield theory, CODDE, and exact hierarchical dynamics, for their results on linear absorption and coherent two-dimensional spectroscopy. We clarify that the failure of Redfield approach originates mainly from the neglect of driving-dissipation correlation, rather than its second-order nature. We further propose a dynamical inhomogeneity parameter to quantify the applicable range of CODDE. Our results indicate that CODDE is an efficient and quantifiable theory for many light-harvesting complexes of interest. To facilitate the evaluation of multi-dimensional spectroscopy, we also develop the mixed Heisenberg-Schrödinger picture scheme that is valid for any dynamics implementation on nonlinear response functions.

Dissipaton equation of motion for system-and-bath interference dynamics

In this review we give a comprehensive account on the dissipaton equation of motion (DEOM) approach to quantum mechanics of open systems. This approach provides a statistical quasi-particle (dissipaton) picture for the environment, as it participates in the correlated system-and-bath dynamics. The underlying dissipaton algebra is de facto established via a close comparison with the celebrated hierarchical equations of motion formalism that is rooted at the Feynman-Vernon influence functional path integral formalism. As a quasi-particle generalization, DEOM identifies unambiguously the physical meanings of all involving dynamical variables as many-dissipaton configurations. It addresses the dynamics of not only systems but also hybridizing bath degrees of freedom. We demonstrate these features of DEOM via its real-time evaluation of the Fano interference of an analytically solvable model system, with the highlight that the statistical quasi-particle picture is ubiquitous, implied even in those commonly used quantum master equations.

Onsets of hierarchy truncation and self–consistent Born approximation with quantum mechanics prescriptions invariance

The issue of efficient hierarchy truncation is related to many approximate theories. In this paper, we revisit this issue from both the numerical efficiency and quantum mechanics prescription invariance aspects. The latter requires that the truncation approximation made in Schrödinger picture, such as the quantum master equations and their self-consistent-Born-approximation improvements, should be transferable to their Heisenberg-picture correspondences, without further approximations. We address this issue with the dissipaton equation of motion (DEOM), which is a unique theory for the dynamics of not only reduced systems but also hybrid bath environments. We also highlight the DEOM theory is not only about how its dynamical variables evolve in time, but also the underlying dissipaton algebra. We demonstrate this unique feature of DEOM with model systems and report some intriguing nonlinear Fano interferences characteristics that are experimentally measurable.

Effects of Herzberg–Teller vibronic coupling on coherent excitation energy transfer

In this work, we study the effects of non-Condon vibronic coupling on the quantum coherence of excitation energy transfer, via the exact dissipaton-equation-of-motion evaluations on excitonic model systems. Field-triggered excitation energy transfer dynamics and two dimensional coherent spectroscopy are simulated for both Condon and non-Condon vibronic couplings. Our results clearly demonstrate that the non-Condon vibronic coupling intensifies the dynamical electronic-vibrational energy transfer and enhances the total system-and-bath quantum coherence. Moreover, the hybrid bath dynamics for non-Condon effects enriches the theoretical calculation, and further sheds light on the interpretation of the experimental nonlinear spectroscopy.

Low-frequency logarithmic discretization of the reservoir spectrum for improving the efficiency of hierarchical equations of motion approach

An efficient low-frequency logarithmic discretization (LFLD) scheme for the decomposition of fermionic reservoir spectrum is proposed for the investigation of quantum impurity systems. The scheme combines the Padé spectrum decomposition (PSD) and a logarithmic discretization of the residual part in which the parameters are determined based on an extension of the recently developed minimum-dissipaton ansatz [J. J. Ding et al., J. Chem. Phys. 145, 204110 (2016)]. A hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) approach is then employed to validate the proposed scheme by examining the static and dynamic system properties in both the Kondo and noninteracting regimes. The LFLD scheme requires a much smaller number of exponential functions than the conventional PSD scheme to reproduce the reservoir correlation function and thus facilitates the efficient implementation of the HEOM approach in extremely low temperature regimes.

Theory of Quantum Dissipation in a Class of Non-Gaussian Environments

In this work we construct a novel dissipaton-equation-of-motion (DEOM) theory in quadratic bath coupling environment, based on an extended algebraic statistical quasi-particle approach. To validate the new ingredient of the underlying dissipaton algebra, we derive an extended Zusman equation via a totally different approach. We prove that the new theory, if it starts with the identical setup, constitutes the dynamical resolutions to the extended Zusman equation. Thus, we verify the generalized (non-Gaussian) Wicks theorem with dissipatons-pair added. This new algebraic ingredient enables the dissipaton approach being naturally extended to nonlinear coupling environments. Moreover, it is noticed that, unlike the linear bath coupling case, the influence of a non-Gaussian environment cannot be completely characterized with the linear response theory. The new theory has to take this fact into account. The developed DEOM theory manifests the dynamical interplay between dissipatons and nonlinear bath coupling descriptors that will be specified. Numerical demonstrations will be given with the optical line shapes in quadratic coupling environment.In this work we construct a novel dissipaton-equation-of-motion (DEOM) theory in quadratic bath coupling environment, based on an extended algebraic statistical quasi-particle approach. To validate the new ingredient of the underlying dissipaton algebra, we derive an extended Zusman equation via a totally different approach. We prove that the new theory, if it starts with the identical setup, constitutes the dynamical resolutions to the extended Zusman equation. Thus, we verify the generalized (non-Gaussian) Wicks theorem with dissipatons-pair added. This new algebraic ingredient enables the dissipaton approach being naturally extended to nonlinear coupling environments. Moreover, it is noticed that, unlike the linear bath coupling case, the influence of a non-Gaussian environment cannot be completely characterized with the linear response theory. The new theory has to take this fact into account. The developed DEOM theory manifests the dynamical interplay between dissipatons and nonlinear bath coupling ...

Kinetic Rate Kernels via Hierarchical Liouville–Space Projection Operator Approach

Kinetic rate kernels in general multisite systems are formulated on the basis of a nonperturbative quantum dissipation theory, the hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) formalism, together with the Nakajima-Zwanzig projection operator technique. The present approach exploits the HEOM-space linear algebra. The quantum non-Markovian site-to-site transfer rate can be faithfully evaluated via projected HEOM dynamics. The developed method is exact, as evident by the comparison to the direct HEOM evaluation results on the population evolution.