Theory of excitation energy transfer in supramolecular complexes

Optical and transport properties of supramolecular chromophore complexes are in the focus of physical and chemical research. The combination of experiments and theoretical simulations facilitates a detailed understanding on the special structure of the complex and on the way excitation energy is transfered. Pheophorbide-a dendrimer systems are of particular interest because of their huge importance in the framework of the photodynamic therapy. Existing spectra of different types of pheophorbide-a complexes should be analyzed starting with molecular dynamics simulations to specify the spatial arrangement of the chromophores in the complex. Based on these data a unique theory on the excitation energy transfer should be developed. This requires to account for the motion of excitation energy which is localized on a single chromophore as well as for excitations which are partially delocalized.