Spectrophotometer System · UK public procurement notice

The Edinburgh Instruments LP980 is the only identified instrument that meets the University's technical requirements for advanced time-resolved spectroscopy while providing a direct replacement and significant capability enhancement over the obsolete Applied Photophysics LKS80 system. The LP980 combines a high-energy optical parametric oscillator delivering 3-5 ns excitation pulses across a broad tuning range (410-2600 nm) with gated intensified CCD detection capable of capturing complete transient spectra (200-870 nm) following a single laser pulse.

These capabilities are essential for the proposed research programme, enabling studies of photosensitive biological systems, including rhodopsins, haem proteins and engineered photoreceptors, while minimising sample consumption and photodamage. In addition, the inclusion of temperature-controlled laser-induced fluorescence detection expands the University's ability to investigate fluorescent proteins and photochemical probes that cannot be studied using the existing equipment. No alternative solution has been identified that provides the required combination of excitation flexibility, single-shot full-spectrum transient acquisition, and integrated lifetime measurement functionality within a single platform.