Picosecond spectroscopy applied to the study of chemical and biological reactions
The techniques employed by picosecond spectroscopy are reviewed. These include the generation of fixed and tuneable picosecond radiation as well as time-resolved absorption and fluorescence measurements. In addition to mode-locked lasers, other methods of making subnanosecond measurements such as phase fluorometry, beat noise detection from a cw laser, and coherent excitation are covered. Picosecond spectroscopy is now applied to a variety of chemical and biological problems. Vibrational relaxation due to both dephasing and energy transfer is one of the most active areas of this field and yields a great quantity of information on the influence of molecular structure on this phenomena. Both electron transfer and proton transfer in the excited state have been studied by a number of workers. Singlet and triplet state photochemistry are now being probed with picosecond resolution. Energy transfer and radiationless transitions were among the first phenomena probed by picosecond lasers. Recent advances in detectors, such as the streak camera, have opened new avenues of exciting research in this area. Finally, the application of picosecond spectroscopy to biological systems has created a great deal of impact. Work by several groups on photosynthetic organisms has revolutionized our understanding of energy transduction. Similar progress has been made in unraveling some of the early steps in the visual process. 276 references; 28 figures; 4 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Illinois, Urbana
- OSTI ID:
- 6446429
- Journal Information:
- CRC Crit. Rev. Solid State Sci.; (United States), Vol. 8:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
HYDROCARBONS
RELAXATION
SPECTROSCOPY
REVIEWS
VIBRATIONAL STATES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
EXCITED STATES
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
GROUND STATES
LASER RADIATION
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
BACTERIA
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
ENERGY LEVELS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
400104* - Spectral Procedures- (-1987)