Effect of the mutation of carotenoids on the dynamics of energy transfer in light-harvesting complexes （LH2） from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 601 at room temperature

Energy transfers in two kinds of peripheral light-harvesting complexes (LH2) of {Rhodobacter sphaeroides} (RS) 601 are studied by using femtosecond pump--probe spectroscopy with tunable laser wavelength at room temperature. These two complexes are native LH2 (RS601) and green carotenoid mutated LH2 (GM309). The obtained results demonstrate that, compared with spheroidenes with ten conjugated double bonds in native RS601, carotenoid in GM309 containing neurosporenes with nine conjugated double bonds can lead to a reduction in energy transfer rate in the B800-to-B850 band and the disturbance in the energy relaxation processes within the excitonic B850 band.     

Two-Photon Absorption and Excited State Dynamics of Two Organic Molecules Containing Donor/Acceptor Moieties

Two new two-photon absorption （TPA） molecules, named SK-G1 and NT-G1, are synthesized and the photo- physical characteristics are investigated by using linear absorption spectra, one-photon fluorescence spectra and two-photon excited fluorescence spectra. Both the compounds exhibit TPA properties, and the TPA values determined by z-scan measurement are 10 GM and 39 GM for SK-G1 and NT-G1, respectively, at wavelength 80Ohm. Time-resolved spectroscopic techniques are employed to further explore the excited state dynamics of NT-G l with larger TPA cross section. The research results show that there is an ultrafast intraband energy transfer process （about 3ps） before the formation of charge transfer state with a relatively long lifetime.     

Effect of Photo-Oxidation on Energy Transfer in Light Harvesting Complex （LH2） from Rhodobacter Sphaeroides 601

We study the photo-oxidation of bacteriochlorophylls （BChls） in peripheral light harvesting complexes （LH2） from rhodobacter sphaeroides by using the steady absorption and the femtosecond pump-probe measurement, to realize the detailed dynamics of LH2 in the presence of photo-oxidation. The experimental results reveal that BChl-B850 radical cations may act as an additional channel to compete with the unoxidized BChl-B850 molecules for rapidly releasing the excitation energy, while the B800→B850 energy transfer rate is almost unaffected in the oxidation process.