Excited-state absorption in oxidized cytochrome c solution

Nonlinear absorption dynamics of oxidized cytochrome c in water solution was investigated at 532 nm with Z-scan and pump–probe techniques. The optical characterization of this compound is very important owing to its similarity with hematoporphyrin-based drugs commonly used in photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment. We observed a saturable absorption process related to the excited singlet population, followed by a fast decay to the ground state. The optical excitation and subsequent relaxation were interpreted with a three-energy-level diagram, allowing the first singlet excited-state absorption cross section and lifetime determination.