Franck-Condon optical envelopes

The challenges outlined above still await a solution. In this section, we show how some of the theoretical limitations employed in traditional formulations of the band shape analysis can be lifted. We discuss two extensions of the present-day band shape analysis. First, the two-state model of CT transitions is applied to build the Franck-Condon optical envelopes. Second, the restriction of only two electronic states is lifted within the band shape analysis of polarizable chromophores that takes higher lying excited states into account through the solute dipolar polarizability. Finally, we show how a hybrid model incorporating the electronic delocalization and chromophore s polarizability effects can be successfully applied to the calculation of steady-state optical band shapes of the optical dye coumarin 153 (C153). We first start with a general theory and outline the connection between optical intensities and the ET matrix element and transition dipole. 

The Franck-Condon factors of polarizable chromophores in Eq. [153] can be used to generate the complete vibrational/solvent optical envelopes according to Eqs. [132] and [134]. The solvent-induced line shapes as given by Eq. [153] are close to Gaussian functions in the vicinity of the band maximum and switch to a Lorentzian form on their wings. A finite parameter ai leads to asymmetric bands with differing absorption and emission widths. The functions in Eq. [153] can thus be used either for a band shape analysis of polarizable optical chromophores or as probe functions for a general band shape analysis of asymmetric optical lines. 

A direct consequence of the observation that Eqs. (12.55) provide also golden-rule expressions for transition rates between molecular electronic states in the shifted parallel harmonic potential surfaces model, is that the same theory can be applied to the calculation of optical absorption spectra. The electronic absorption lineshape expresses the photon-frequency dependent transition rate from the molecular ground state dressed by a photon, g) = g, hco ), to an electronically excited state without a photon, x). This absorption is broadened by electronic-vibrational coupling, and the resulting spectrum is sometimes referred to as the Franck-Condon envelope of the absorption lineshape. To see how this spectrum is obtained from the present formalism we start from the Hamiltonian (12.7) in which states L and R are replaced by g) and x) and Vlr becomes Pgx—the coupling between molecule and radiation field. The modes a represent intramolecular as well as intermolecular vibrational motions that couple to the electronic transition... 

In the phase-coherent, one-color pump/probe scheme (see Section 9.1.9) the wavepacket is detected when the center of the wavepacket returns to its to position, (x)to+nT — (x)to, after an integer number of vibrational periods. The pump pulse creates the wavepacket. The probe pulse creates another identical wavepacket, which may add constructively or destructively to all or part of the original pump-produced wavepacket. If the envelope delay and optical phase of the probe pulse (Albrecht, et al, 1999) are both chosen correctly, near perfect constructive or destructive interference occurs and the total spontaneous fluorescence intensity (detected after the pump and probe pulses have traversed the sample) is either quadrupled (relative to that produced by the pump pulse alone) or nulled. As discussed in Section 9.1.9, the probe pulse is delayed, relative to the pump pulse, in discrete steps of At = x/ojl- 10l is selected by the experimentalist from within the range (ljl) 1/At (At is the temporal FWHM of the pulse) to define the optical phase of the probe pulse relative to that of the pump pulse and the average excitation frequency. However, [(E) — Ev ]/K is selected by the molecule in accord with the classical Franck-Condon principle (Tellinghuisen, 1984), also within the (ojl) 1/At range. When the envelope delay is chosen so that the probe pulse arrives simultaneously with the return of the center of the vibrational wavepacket to its position at to, a relative maximum (optical phase at ojl delayed by 2mr) or minimum (optical phase at u>l delayed by (2n + l)7r) in the fluorescence intensity is observed. 

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