SELF-TRAPPING IN QUASI-ONE-DIMENSIONAL ELECTRON-PHONON AND EXCITON-PHONON SYSTEMS

We study self-trapping of electrons (excitons) in one-dimensional syst ems with three realistic types of coupling with phonons, applying a va riational procedure valid for the whole range of system parameters. Va rious types of self-trapped states are identified and mapped in the pa rameter space. Our results are compared to the results of previous stu dies. The particular case of biological systems is studied and it is s hown that the Davydov-soliton concept can be used for the description of electron transport in biological systems, but not for the energy tr ansfer in terms of amide-I vibrations (CO stretching vibration mode).