The photosynthesis apparatus of green plants efficiently converts solar light into chemical energy. Considerable effort has gone into replicating the photosynthesis process in nature-inspired photosystem structures in order to solve problems such as low power conversion efficiency.

Despite great interest in this area, such issues have not yet been fully resolved. The early stages of photosynthesis involve the thylakoid membrane (TM) of chloroplasts, which contains pigment-protein complexes. The light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC II) is the most abundant of these complexes. A better understanding of the coupling between energy transfer processes and the local structure and dynamics of TMs and LHC II is needed to achieve more efficient power conversion in bio-inspired devices (biophotovoltaics).

This pilot project aims to shed light on the microscopic structure and dynamics of LHC II and model TMs, particularly under in situ/operando conditions. The first phase of the project will investigate the protein system alone, while the second phase will study more complex systems, namely LHC II embedded in model TMs. The project will exploit a combination of neutron scattering methods, as well as complementary techniques such as Raman spectroscopy and calorimetry. This will be achieved through collaboration primarily between the European Spallation Source (ESS) and the University of Copenhagen (UCPH).