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Updated: Aug 5, 2026

An Introduction to Processing, Fitting, and Interpreting Transient Absorption Data
Published on: February 16, 2024
Tutorial: Transient Absorption Spectroscopy for Probing Ultrafast Dynamics
Kai-Chun Chou1, David C Zeitz1, Mariam Khvichia1
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States.
Abstract:
Transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) is an indispensable technique for directly tracking chemical and physical dynamics on ultrafast time scales. This Tutorial covers the basic principles behind TAS and illustrates with examples its application in probing and understanding ultrafast photophysical and photochemical processes in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and materials science. We also discuss how TAS data are analyzed mathematically and kinetically to gain physical and mechanistic insights into complex dynamic processes. By providing practical guidance from experimental design to quantitative kinetic modeling, this Tutorial aims to equip researchers with the foundational knowledge to effectively utilize TAS for ultrafast studies of different processes in molecules and materials.
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