Suppression of population transport and control of exciton distributions by entangled photons

Entangled photons provide an important tool for secure quantum communication, computing and lithography. Low intensity requirements for multi-photon processes make them idealy suited for minimizing damage in imaging applications. Here we show how their unique temporal and spectral features may be used in nonlinear spectroscopy to reveal properties of multiexcitons in chromophore aggregates. Simulations demostrate that they provide unique control tools for two-exciton states in the bacterial reaction centre of Blastochloris viridis. Population transport in the intermediate single-exciton manifold may be suppressed by the absorption of photon pairs with short entanglement time, thus allowing the manipulation of the distribution of two-exciton states. The quantum nature of the light is essential for achieving this degree of control, which cannot be reproduced by stochastic or chirped light. Classical light is fundamentally limited by the frequency-time uncertainty, whereas entangled photons have independent temporal and spectral characteristics not subjected to this uncertainty.