Observation of energy transfer dynamics in a phycocyanin protein crystal by utilizing femtosecond transient absorption microscopy

Abstract

Abstract Energy transfer reactions are important in photosynthetic systems as natural systems and solar cells as artificial systems. Especially in the biological system, the energy transfer reaction from the phycobilisome to the photoreaction system is the essence. Femtosecond transient absorption microscopy was utilized for the phycocyanin protein in crystals. The energy transfer reactions among pigments were observed with the changes in spectral shape. The time constants of energy transfer to the respective electronic states of 760 fs, 17 ps, and 62 ps were obtained. Transient absorption microscopy is a powerful nanotool for measuring the carrier dynamics in a microcrystal.