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Lecture 3

The document discusses the principles of absorption, emission, and fluorescence in relation to light interaction with matter. Absorption occurs when light energy promotes molecules to an excited state, while emission involves the release of energy as photons when molecules relax to a lower state. Fluorescence is a specific type of emission where absorbed high-energy UV light is re-emitted as lower-energy visible light, characterized by the Stokes shift.

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4 views3 pages

Lecture 3

The document discusses the principles of absorption, emission, and fluorescence in relation to light interaction with matter. Absorption occurs when light energy promotes molecules to an excited state, while emission involves the release of energy as photons when molecules relax to a lower state. Fluorescence is a specific type of emission where absorbed high-energy UV light is re-emitted as lower-energy visible light, characterized by the Stokes shift.

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sirnyuki254
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© All Rights Reserved
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Lecture 3

Principles of Absorption, Emission, Fluorescence

1. Absorption
 Principle: When light of a specific energy (frequency, wavelength, or wave number)
passes through matter, atoms or molecules can absorb it if the energy matches the
difference between two energy levels.

 Process:

E = hν = E2 E1

The molecule is promoted from a ground state to an excited state.

 Example: In UV-Vis spectroscopy, molecules absorb UV/visible light, causing


electronic excitation.

2. Emission
 Principle: When an atom or molecule in an excited state relaxes back to a lower energy
state, it releases energy in the form of a photon.

 Types of Emission:

o Spontaneous emission: Photon released randomly without external trigger.

o Stimulated emission: An incoming photon induces emission of another photon


(basis of lasers).

 Example: Sodium lamps emit yellow light when excited sodium atoms relax to ground
state.

3. Fluorescence
 Principle: A special case of emission where a molecule absorbs high-energy radiation
(usually UV) and quickly (within nanoseconds) re-emits lower-energy light (usually
visible).

 Key Features:

o The emitted light has a longer wavelength (lower energy) than the absorbed light
— this shift is called the Stokes shift.

o Involves rapid relaxation from higher vibrational levels before emission.

 Example: Fluorescent dyes and highlighter pens glow under UV light.

Comparison (Quick View)

Process Trigger Energy Flow Timescale Example


Incoming photon
Absorption Ground → Excited Femtoseconds UV-Vis spectroscopy
absorbed
Relaxation from Excited → Ground +
Emission ns–s Sodium lamp, lasers
excited state photon
Absorption + re- UV absorbed, Fluorescent dyes, GFP
Fluorescence ~nanoseconds
emission visible emitted protein

Here’s a Jablonski diagram showing how:


 Absorption excites the molecule (blue arrow, S0→S2S₀ \to S₂)

 Non-radiative relaxation occurs internally (gray dashed arrow, S2→S1S₂ \to S₁)

 Fluorescence (green arrow, S1→S0S₁ \to S₀) gives lower-energy light

 Emission (red arrow, general photon release) represents radiative decay

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