Inside the lab, scientists marvel at the strange state that occurs when atoms approach absolute zero. Meanwhile, the trees outside the window absorb the sunlight and turn it into new leaves. These two scenarios may seem completely unrelated, but a recent study by the University of Chicago shows that these processes are not as different as they seem on the surface.

A study published in the journal PRX Energyestablished an atomic-level link between the process of photosynthesis and exciton condensations; it’s a strange physical state that allows energy to flow through the material without friction. According to the authors, this discovery is not only scientifically exciting, but could also offer new perspectives for electronics design.

“To our knowledge, these fields have never been connected before, so we found this very interesting and exciting,” said Professor David Mazziotti, co-author of the study.

Mazziotti’s lab specializes in modeling the complex interactions of atoms and molecules, as they exhibit interesting properties. These interactions are impossible to see with the naked eye, so computer simulations can give scientists a window into what’s what. From where this behavior is emerging and may also be the basis for the development of future technologies.

Specifically, Masiotti and study co-authors Anna Schouten and LeAnn Sager-Smith modeled what happens at the molecular level when photosynthesis occurs.

When a photon from the sun hits the leaf, it causes changes in a specially designed molecule. Energy ejects an electron. The electron and the “hole” it was before can now travel around the leaf and transport the sun’s energy to another area, where it triggers a chemical reaction to make sugar for the plant.

This pair of electrons and holes moving together is called an exciton. When a team of researchers simulated the motion of several excitons from a bird’s-eye view, they noticed something strange. They saw patterns in the path of excitons that looked surprisingly familiar.

In fact, it was very similar to the behavior of a material known as Bose-Einstein condensation, sometimes referred to as the “fifth state of matter”. In this material, excitons can combine in the same quantum state – like a series of bells ringing in perfect harmony. This allows energy to move around the material without friction. (Such strange behavior is of interest to scientists because they could be the seeds of big technology; for example, a similar state called superconductivity is the basis of MRI machines.)

According to models created by Schouten, Sager-Smith, and Mazziotti, excitons in a plate can sometimes bind in ways similar to the behavior of an exciton condensate.

This was a big surprise. Exciton condensates are observed Only when the material is cooled well below room temperature. It would be like ice cubes formed in a cup of hot coffee.

“Photosynthetic light harvesting takes place in a system that is at room temperature, and moreover, its structure is disordered, unlike the low temperatures you use to make pristine crystalline materials and excitonic condensation,” Schouten said.

The scientists say this effect is not complete—more like the formation of condensation “islands”. “But it’s still enough to improve energy transfer in the system,” Sager-Smith said. Said. In fact, their models suggest it could double the efficiency.

Mazziotti said this opens up some new possibilities for creating synthetic materials for future technologies. “Perfect ideal exciton condensation is delicate and requires many specific conditions, but for realistic applications it is interesting to see something that improves efficiency but can be at ambient conditions.”

Mazziotti said the discovery also translates into a broader approach that his team has been exploring for a decade.

The interactions between atoms and molecules in processes like photosynthesis are incredibly complex – even a supercomputer can handle – so scientists have traditionally had to simplify their models to deal with them. But Mazziotti believes some pieces should be dropped: “We believe the local correlation of electrons is important to understanding how nature actually works.” Source