STUDIES ON LASER ACTION FROM POLYMERIC MATRICES DOPED WITH COUMARIN-503

The lasing properties of coumarin 503 (C503) dissolved in pure poly(me thyl methacrylate) homopolymer and in copolymers of methyl methacrylat e with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, and styre ne have been investigated. The laser samples were transversely pumped at 337 nm with 1.2-mJ pulses from a nitrogen laser. The influence on t he C503 laser performance of parameters such as dye concentration, vis coelasticity of the matrix, and degree of crosslinking of the polymeri c chains were examined. Lasing efficiencies of up to 19% and lifetimes (defined as a 90% efficiency drop) of 2600 pulses at 2 Hz repetition rate were demonstrated. Conditions that could result in an increase of dye photostability by the addition of 1,4-diazobicyclo[2.2.2]octane o r cyclooctatetraene are discussed.