Thermal and optical properties of polymer hosts for solid-state dye lasers

We present measurements of thermal and optical properties of poly(methyl me thacrylate) (PMMA), PMMA modified by the addition of ethanol (MPMMA), and c opolymers of methyl methacrylate with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate [P(HEMA:M MA)]. Spectral transmission of the polymers is excellent (alpha = 0.5 cm(-1 ) at 400 nm, decreasing to 0.04 cm(-1) at 633 nm). Measured laser damage th resholds of MPMMA and P(HEMA:MMA) show at least a twofold increase over PMM A. Thermal lensing measured in these hosts doped with Rhodamine 6G is shown to be similar (f = -450 mm for pump power of 200 mW in a 2-mm-diameter spo t, scaling with pump intensity). Compared with MPMMA, P(HEMA:MMA) offers an improved surface quality and a more uniform dye distribution. (C) 1999 Opt ical Society of America.