SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF NEW BLUE LASER-DYES IN TETRAHYDROFURAN SOLUTION AND IN COMPOSITE GLASS

We have investigated the linear absorption, emission wavelength-depend ent excitation, fluorescence polarization excitation, and lasing prop properties of new UV-blue dyes. The dyes are didecyl para-polyphenyl h ep tamer (DDPPH), didecyloxy para-polyphenyl heptamer (DDOPPH), and bi sbenzothiazole 3,4- didecyloxy thiophene (BBTDOT), We studied the effe ct of dye concentration on absorption and emission and the origin of t he peaks in tetrahydrofuran solution and in a composite glass, We show that, in a composite glass, it is possible to impregnate the dye with density of several orders without aggregation effects, The two heptam er dyes were found to be very photostable, All three dyes are promisin g candidates as laser dyes in the UV, Under excitation with a frequenc y-doubled dye laser (300 nm), the DDPPH lased at 377 nm. The DDOPPH la sed at 425 nm and the BBTDOT lased at similar to 450 nm when excited b y the third harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (355 nm), The output from the s econd heptamer in tetrahydrofuran was photostable (less than 10% decre ase) for more than 900,000 pulses and with a slope efficiency of appro ximately 20%.