Research Equipment
Laser Flash Photolysis Apparatus
Here we introduce our Laser Flash Photolysis System in School of Materials Science Building IV.
First, what is a Laser Flash Photolysis System?
The Laser Flash Photolysis System can perform transient absorption measurements within the short range from nanosecond to millisecond. The absorption spectra of the formation and decay processes of intermediaries in photoreactions such as photodissociation, photoisomerization, electron transfer, and energy transfer, etc., can be observed.
Could you explain to us the detailed information about the Laser Flash Photolysis System in JAIST?
Figure 2 shows an outline of the Laser Flash Photolysis System in our School of Materials Science Building IV.
Figure 2
This system consists of an excitation light source, a detector, and various other elements. The excitation light source
(Figure 1) is used to excite a target molecule or to generate photoreaction products at high concentrations. In our system, Nd:YAG laser
(1064, 532 355, 266 nm), which has a pulse width of several ns, is employed as the excitation light. The detection light source is white light
(Xenon flash lamp, Hamamatsu Photonics), which is used to measure absorption spectra of the excited state or reaction intermediate.
In this system, set-up of other optical systems in addition to standard spectrometer and optical components etc., is essential for
measurement of time-resolved absorption spectra. Examples of other optical systems include a delay generator and a CCD detector. The delay generator
controls the light source and the delay between light pulses. The CCD detector is used to analyze the spectra obtained. (specs of CCD detector equipped
with an image intensifier, Princeton Instruments, ICCD-1024G: Gate Width 5ns-DC).
What are specific features in the Laser Flash Photolysis System?
Since a CCD detector equipped with an image intensifier has a multi-channel gate function, wide spectral observation (ca. 200 to 800 nm) and time-resolved spectroscopic measurement (resolution time: approximately 5 ns) can be performed simultaneously. Another feature is that a wide range of lights can be used as excitation light sources, from infrared to ultraviolet. Particularly, the most important point is that the Nd:YAG laser-based OPO (Optical Parametric Oscillator) system enables us to utilize variable pulsed light source (wavelength range: 1.45−4μm) as an excitation light source for this system.
Finally, how is this Laser Flash Photolysis System used in JAIST?
This system uses light excitation for detection and examination of time-dependent physical processes and chemical reactions. Currently, we develop electron and energy transfer processes of supramolecular nanoassemblies composed of organic materials such as dye moieties and fullerenes. Additionally, we can also apply the variable pulsed light source (in the infrared region) to research on the infrared laser-induced phase transition of organic-inorganic hybrid systems.
