We have evaluated a series of blue-green emitting molecular-complex ma
terials (d degrees electronic system) from the point of view of their
suitability as possible tunable laser media. All of them reveal a very
strong, broad-band excited-state absorption (ESA), occurring between
states of different configurations and positioned at the energy relate
d to the crystal field parameter 10 Dq. The ESA strongly overlaps the
luminescence spectra. Because of the nature of the terminal state of E
SA, the high rate of ESA transitions can be ascribed to the efficient
breaking of the Laporte selection rule, because of considerable admixt
ure of p(sigma) orbitals of ligands and/or p-orbitals of the central i
on into the d-orbitals of the central ion in the terminal configuratio
n, and to the existence of triplet terms in this configuration, We sur
vey the ESA characteristics and compare its cross sections to those of
stimulated emission. We interpret the obtained results by means of a
configuration-coordinate model. Some possible avenues of future work a
re indicated.