The design of a picosecond flash spectroscope and its application to photosynthesis
Abstract
The design and characteristics of the current picosecond flash-photolysis apparatus at the Royal Institution is described. This equipment is being applied to the investigation of various photosynthetic materials isolated from higher plants. Typical absorption spectra obtained with Photosystem 1 (PS1) reaction centres, isolated from pea chloroplast, are presented to show the quality of data now obtainable on a picosecond timescale.