Excitonic and vibrational coherence in artificial photosynthetic systems studied by negative-time ultrafast laser spectroscopy.

Quantum coherences between excitonic states are believed to have a substantial impact on excitation energy transfer in photosynthetic systems. Here, the excitonic and vibrational coherence relaxation dynamics of artificially synthetic chlorosomes are studied by a sub 7 fs negative-time-delay laser spectroscopy at room temperature. The results provide direct evidence for the quantum coherence of the excitonic dephasing time of 23 ± 1 fs at physiologically relevant temperatures, which is significant in the initial step of energy transfer in chlorosome or chlorosome-like photosynthetic systems. Meanwhile, coherent molecular vibrations in the excited state are also detected without the effect of wave-packet motion in the ground state, which shows that the excited state wave-packet motion contributes greatly to the vibrational modes of ∼150 and ∼1340 cm(-1) in artificial chlorosome systems.

Excitonic Relaxation and Coherent Vibrational Dynamics in Zinc Chlorin Aggregates for Artificial Photosynthetic Systems.

The excitonic relaxation and coherent vibrational dynamics in stairlike zinc chlorin aggregates prepared for mimicking chlorosome in nature have been studied simultaneously by 6.8 fs real-time vibrational laser spectroscopy. The relaxation from Q-exciton state to the dark nonfluorescent charge-transfer (CT) state is determined to be 850 ± 70 fs. The spectral distribution of the molecular vibrational amplitude has been discussed in terms of the difference in the equilibrium positions of potential curves between the ground state and the excited state. Since the displacement in the coordinate space from the potential minimum of the ground state to that of the excited states is small, coherent oscillations generated by the impulsive excitation are strongest where the slope of the excitonic resonance is largest. Consequently, the probe wavelength dependence of the amplitude modulation follows the first derivative of the excitonic resonance, and π phase jump has been observed. Excitonic transition energy modulation caused by the coherent molecular vibrations has also been studied, and the vibrational mode with a low frequency of 146 cm(-1) is found to play a dominating role in the transition energy shift effect.

Ultrafast pre-breakdown dynamics in Al2O3SiO2 reflector by femtosecond UV laser spectroscopy.

Ultrafast carrier dynamics in Al2O3/SiO2 high reflectors has been investigated by UV femtosecond laser. It is identified by laser spectroscopy that, the carrier dynamics contributed from the front few layers of Al2O3 play a dominating role in the initial laser-induced damage of the UV reflector. Time-resolved reflection decrease after the UV excitation is observed, and conduction electrons is found to relaxed to a mid-gap defect state locating about one photon below the conduction band . To interpret the laser induced carrier dynamics further, a theoretical model including electrons relaxation to a mid-gap state is built, and agrees very well with the experimental results.. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the pre-damage dynamics in UV high reflector induced by femtosecond UV laser.