The necessary requirements imposed on polar dielectric laser dye solvents

A laser Mach-Zehnder interferometeric technique is applied to measure the r efractive index n and its thermo-optic coefficient dn/dT for five important pure polar dielectric laser dye solvents (water, methanol, ethyleneglycol, butanol and acetic acid). The measurements are carried out using the argon -ion laser wavelength 514.5 nm, and He-Ne laser of lambda = 632.8 nm. Apply ing the empirical relationship of Cauchy between the refractive index and w avelength, the following properties are calculated and represented: The ref ractive index, the thermo-optic constant - dn/dT, the optical dispersion - d(n)/d(lambda) as a function of wavelength and Cauchy's constants against t emperature. On the other hand, a discussion for comparison between the inve stigated solvents are given. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.