  Research into the efficiency of photosynthetic light harvesting has focused
on two factors: (1) entanglement of chromophores, and (2) environmental noise.
While chromophores are conjugated $\pi$-bonding molecules with strongly
correlated electrons, previous models have treated this correlation implicitly
without a mathematical variable to gauge correlation-enhanced efficiency. Here
we generalize the single-electron/exciton models to a multi-electron/exciton
model that explicitly shows the effects of enhanced electron correlation within
chromophores on the efficiency of energy transfer. The model provides more
detailed insight into the interplay of electron correlation within chromophores
and electron entanglement between chromophores. Exploiting this interplay is
assisting in the design of new energy-efficient materials, which are just
beginning to emerge.

Biological Physics;Quantum Physics