Efficient, high photostability, high brightness, co-polymer solid state dye lasers

We report an investigation of the laser beam quality, efficiency and photos tability of rhodamine 590 solid state dye lasers with hosts based upon 2-hy droxyethylmethacrylate and methylmethacrylate P(HEMA:MMA) copolymers and mo dified methylmethacrylate (MPMMA) polymers with ethanol and dimethylsulphox ide additives. Highest efficiencies were obtained with MPMMA, with slope ef ficiencies of up to 44% (corresponding to 61% optical-optical conversion) m easured for ethanolic MPMMA. P(HEMA: MMA) hosts gave superior photostabilit y, with the highest normalized photostability of 240 GJ mol(-1) obtained fo r a P(HEMA:MMA) 1:1 rod. A simple resonator has been used to compensate the effects of thermal lensing and pump mode-mismatch, resulting in optimized beam quality for MPMMA lasers.