Porous glasses as a host for solid state tunable lasers in the visible as a means for fluorescence diagnostics and photodynamic therapy

Lasers prepared by incorporation of the active dyes into porous glasses are described. Background of the use of lasers for photodynamic therapy and di agnostics is outlined. The role of hematoporphyrin and hypericin in creatio n of singlet oxygen, which destroys the malignant tissues, is explained. Th e lasers, based on sol-gel technology, incorporated by several perylimide a nd pyrromethane dyes emit in the suitable range in which the hematoporphyri n is excited. These compact lasers may replace, in the future, the vapour a nd the liquid lasers. The synthesis and the spectroscopic properties of the lasers are described here.