Using fluorescent probes, we demonstrate that the plasma membrane of porcine eye lens fiber cells displays an unprecedentedly high degree of lipid ordering.

Purpose.: To compare the photochemical properties of UV filter molecules present in the human lens (kynurenine, KN; 3-hydroxykynurenine, 3OHKN; 3-hydroxykynurenine O-β-d-glucoside, 3OHKG; 4-(2-aminophenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid, AHA; and glutathionyl-kynurenine, GSH-KN) with the use of the following parameters: excited singlet lifetime τ_S, fluorescence quantum yield Φ_fl, triplet quantum yield Φ_T, and photodecomposition quantum yield Φ_dec. Methods.: The excited singlet lifetimes were measured with the use of fluorescence upconversion (time resolution, 210 fs) and pump-probe transient absorption (time resolution, 200 fs) methods. The fluorescence quantum yields were determined relative to an aqueous solution of quinine bisulfate. The triplet quantum yields were measured with the use of nanosecond laser flash photolysis. The photodecomposition quantum yields were determined by steady state photolysis followed by the high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Results.: The secondary UV filters—AHA and GSH-KN are better photosensitizers than the primary ones—KN, 3OHKN and 3OHKG: the singlet state lifetimes of the secondary UV filters are longer, and the quantum yields of fluorescence and triplet state formation are higher. Conclusions.: With aging, the ratio primary/secondary UV filters in the human lens decreases from approximately 10:1 to 2:1. The obtained results demonstrate that the quality of the secondary UV filters is inferior compared to the primary ones, which may result in a higher susceptibility of old lenses to UV light. That might be an important factor for the development of the age-related cataract.

A combination of sub-nanosecond photoexcitation and femtosecond supercontinuum probing is used to extend femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy into the nanosecond to microsecond time domain. Employing a passively Q-switched frequency tripled Nd:YAG laser and determining the jitter of the time delay between excitation and probe pulses with a high resolution time delay counter on a single-shot basis leads to a time resolution of 350 ps in picosecond excitation mode. The time overlap of almost an order of magnitude between fs and sub-ns excitation mode permits to extend ultrafast transient absorption (TA) experiments seamlessly into time ranges traditionally covered by laser flash photolysis. The broadband detection scheme eases the identification of intermediate reaction products which may remain undetected in single-wavelength detection flash photolysis arrangements. Single-shot referencing of the supercontinuum probe with two identical spectrometer/CCD arrangements yields an excellent signal-to-noise ratio for the so far investigated chromophores in short to moderate accumulation times.

We studied isotopically enriched nano- and microdiamonds with optically active ${\mathrm{GeV}}^{-}$ centers synthesized at high pressures and high temperatures in nonmetallic growth systems. The influence of isotopic composition on optical properties has been thoroughly investigated by photoluminescence-excitation (PLE) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy to get insight into the nature and electronic structure of this color center. We have demonstrated that the large frequency defect (difference between oscillation frequencies in the ground and excited electronic states) does bring about large discrepancy between PLE and PL spectra and comparatively high isotopic shift of the zero phonon line. Both effects seem to be rather common to split-vacancy centers (for example ${\mathrm{SiV}}^{-})$, where the frequency defect reaches record high values. Isotopic substitution of carbon atoms in the diamond lattice results in even larger shifts, which are only partially accounted for by a redistribution of electron density caused by the volume change of the diamond lattice. It was shown that the vibronic frequency in this case does not depend on the mass of carbon atoms. The greatest part of this isotopic shift is due to anharmonicity effects, which constitute a substantial part of vibronic frequency observed in this center. The exact physical mechanism, which leads to significant enhancement of anharmonicity on substitution of ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ to ${}^{13}\mathrm{C}$, is yet to be clarified.