Abstract
A Kerr cell has been developed as fast and efficient electro-optic shutter for use in a flash photolysis spectrometer to study the transients produced in solid polymer films. With o-dichlorobenzene as the Kerr liquid, high contrast ratios in the spectral region above 300 nm may be obtained combined with stability under high field conditions. The spectrometer has been successful in studying the triplet state of tryptophan in solid poly(vinyl alcohol) films at room temperature.