About Applied Photophysics

Applied Photophysics Ltd was established in 1971 by The Royal Institution of Great Britain during the directorship of Lord Porter. Various techniques within Porter's research group were being developed for the investigation of primary processes and fast chemical reactions and, in response to requests for the supply of instrumentation based on these techniques, Applied Photophysics was formed to bring the benefits of these technical developments to other researchers and scientific establishments.

Since 1987 Applied Photophysics has concentrated on the development and manufacture of kinetic instrumentation, and in 1988 moved from its original operating base within the Royal Institution to larger premises in Leatherhead, located to the South West of London approximately 30 minutes drive from London's two main airports, Heathrow and Gatwick.

In 1989 the company launched the first of a family of high specification stopped-flow Reaction Analysers. These systems used purpose designed modular units to offer a high level of automation coupled with a flexibility which allowed for future expansion of functionality. The number of optional accessories available for these systems has increased since 1989 and includes sequential mixing, automated SpectraKinetic acquisition & global analysis, fluorescence scanning, stopped-flow circular dichroism detection, photodiode array detection and most recently fluorescence polarisation.

In 1999 the company launched the world's first CD spectrometer designed to be equally proficient at equilibrium and kinetic measurements. This system used custom designed optics and electronics to offer an even higher level of automation coupled with a flexibility which allowed for future expansion of functionality.

2003 saw the culmination of over 3 years research with the launch of Chirascan, a world-beating CD spectrometer for the equilibrium market.