Femtosecond spectroscopy of bacterial photosynthesis{emdash}towards an understanding of the most important energy conversion process on earth
- Ludwig Maximilians Universitaet Muenchen, Institut fuer Medizinische Optik, Barbarastr.1 6, 80797 Muenchen (Germany)
Reaction centers of bacterial photosynthesis are ideal systems to study photosynthetic energy conversion. Femtosecond spectroscopy has delivered extensive information on the molecular mechanisms of the primary electron transfer. The data show, that primary electron transfer is an ultrafast stepwise reaction, where the electron is transferred via closely spaced pigments with reaction times as fast as 0.9 ps and 3.5 ps. Experiments on mutated and modified reaction centers allow to determine the energetics of the various intermediates in the reaction center. Recently, femtosecond experiments with light pulses in the mid infrared have shown, that an additional fast process occurs on the 200 fs timescale in the initially excited special pair. Only afterwards the well established electron transfer reactions take place. This fast process may be of importance for the optimization of the primary reaction. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 286486
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950617-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 9615M0060
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 364, Issue 1; Conference: Joint meeting on femtochemistry studies: fast elementary processes in chemical and biological systems, Villeneuve d`Ascq (France), 26 Jun - 1 Jul 1995; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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