Hannover 2013 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik

MO 10: Femtosecond Spectroscopy II

MO 10.3: Talk

Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 11:45–12:00, F 102

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of all-trans retinal in polar and non-polar solvents — •Kathrin Maria Lange, Martin Eckstein, Franziska Buchner, Johan Hummert, Katrin Hermann, Wolfgang Freyer, Andrea Lübcke, and Oleg Kornilov — Max-Born Institut, Max-Born-Str. 2a, 12489 Berlin, Deutschland

Retinal is a chromophore of light-sensitive proteins such as rhodopsin and bacteriorhodopsin. As part of the protein it undergoes very efficient cis-trans isomerization upon absorption of a photon and triggers photoactivity of the biological system. Its dynamics, however, are drastically different in solvent environment and the ordering and lifetimes of excited electronic states in the singlet manifold has long been a matter of controversy, complicating the understanding of the photophysical activity of retinal. In this contribution we present the first results on femtosecond photoelectron spectroscopy of all-trans retinal in the solvents ethanol and n-heptane using the novel liquid micro-jet technology in combination with a Vis-UV pump-probe setup. The time-dependent photoelectron spectra give information on binding energies of the excited states and help to assign relaxation time scales. Influence of solvent polarity on state ordering and decay times will be discussed as well as excitation energy dependence.