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Technical Note: An Introduction to Flash Photolysis using the LP980 Spectrometer

In flash photolysis, a short pulse of light generates a transient (temporary) species in a sample; e.g. a radical intermediate or a short-lived excited state. As the sample relaxes back to the ground state or the final reaction products, the changes occurring are recorded as a function of time using a spectroscopic technique. A flash photolysis spectrometer typically monitors the change in absorption as a function of time, utilising a second light source (probe) besides the excitation (pump) pulse going through the sample. This technique is also known as transient absorption (TA). This technical note is aimed as an introduction to nanosecond flash photolysis for newcomers to the technique. We describe the operation of the LP980 spectrometer and show examples of measurements, with references to real-life applications.