Quantum coherences from thermal noise

I will present exact solutions of the quantum optical (Bloch-Redfield) master equations for a three-level quantum V-system weakly coupled to a thermal environment. It will be shown that quantum coherences can spontaneously arise and evolve in such systems, with very long coherence times possible under certain conditions. A few experimental realizations of the noise-induced coherences in atomic systems will be discussed, along with implications for quantum device engineering and photosynthetic energy transfer in light-harvesting dimers.