Home▸Molecular Biology▸Light-Harvesting Complex: Exciton Energy Transfer

Light-Harvesting Complex: Exciton Energy Transfer

Interactive 3D model of a photosynthetic antenna complex: photons excite chlorophyll pigments, excitons hop between them by Förster resonance energy transfer down an energetic funnel toward the reaction center, competing with non-photochemical quenching.

Molecular Biology3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

This simulator renders a photosynthetic antenna complex as a lattice of chlorophyll pigments surrounding a central reaction center, and runs a real continuous-time Monte Carlo model of exciton migration on it: each photon absorption creates an exciton that hops between pigments by Förster resonance energy transfer, biased downhill along the antenna's energetic funnel, competing at every step against fluorescence and non-photochemical quenching until it either reaches the reaction center and is trapped (driving photochemistry) or is lost as heat. Adjust light intensity, antenna size, Förster coupling strength and NPQ quenching to see how real leaves trade off harvesting efficiency against photoprotection.

⚙ Under the hood

Watch photons excite chlorophyll pigments in a light-harvesting antenna and follow the exciton as it hops by Förster resonance energy transfer down an energetic funnel to the reaction center, competing against non-photochemical quenching.

photosynthesisFRETchlorophyllmolecular biologyexcitonphotobiology

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install