Transient Electronic Polarizability of β-Carotene from Ultrafast Terahertz Stark Spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: The prototypical polyene-like β-carotene molecule displays a substantial electric polarizability but a negligible electric dipole moment in the electronic ground state. Changes of such quantities in excited states of β-carotene have remained unknown in liquid and/or protein environments fluctuating at ambient temperature. Here, we study the polarizability and dipole changes of β-carotene in apolar n-hexane by ultrafast terahertz (THz) Stark spectroscopy. An external picosecond THz electric field induces a pronounced red-shift of electronic absorption on the optically allowed transition from the 1¹A_g ground state to the 1¹B_u excited state. We derive an increase in polarizability of Δα = 450 ± 80 ų in the 1¹B_u

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12908150 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature