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Title: Energy transfer and exciton coupling in isolated B800-850 complexes of the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Choromatium tepidum. The effect of structural symmetry on bacteriochlorophyll excited states

Journal Article · · Journal of Physical Chemistry
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp952475w· OSTI ID:219698
; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Leiden (Netherlands)
  2. Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan)

Energy transfer and exciton coupling in isolated B800-850 complexes from the purple sulfur bacterium Chromatium tepidum were studied by means of spectrally resolved absorbance difference spectroscopy with a time resolution of 200 fs. Energy transfer from bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) 800 to BChl 850 was found to occur with a time constant of 0.8-0.9 ps. Remarkably, the amplitude of the absorbance changes of BChl 850 was 4 times larger than that of BChl 800. By relating this result to the crystal structure of B800-850 complexes of Rhodopseudomonas acidophila, it was concluded that the spectral properties of BChl 850 are mainly determined by strong exciton interactions between BChl 850 molecules in a circular symmetric arrangement, which lead to concentration of the oscillator strength in a few optically allowed transitions, corresponding to delocalized eigenstates. In BChl 850, a rapid red shift of the bleaching was observed. This relaxation process may be ascribed either to vibrational relaxation or exciton scattering. A similar red shift appears to occur in BChl 800. 26 refs., 5 figs.

OSTI ID:
219698
Journal Information:
Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol. 100, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: 8 Feb 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English