Ultrafast exciton relaxation in the B850 antenna complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

Nagarajan, V; Alden, R G; Williams, J C; Parson, W W · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 1996

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Spectral changes were measured with femtosecond resolution following low-intensity, broad-band excitation of the peripheral antenna complex of the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Absorption anisotropy decays also were measured. We identified a 35-fs relaxation of the absorption and emission spectra of the excited state, as well as a 20-fs anisotropy decay. We interpret these results as interlevel relaxation and dephasing, respectively, of extensively delocalized exciton states of the circular bacteriochlorophyll aggregate.

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