Efficient solid state dye lasers based on polymer-filled microporous glass

This paper reports on the laser emission properties of Pyrromethene 580, Pyrromethene 597, Pyrromethene 650 and Rhodamine 11B in the novel matrix polymer-filled microporous glass (PFMPG). This host material combines the advantages of an organic environment for the dye with the superior thermooptical and mechanical properties of an inorganic glass. Laser efficiency was measured as a function of pump flux for different dye concentrations, resonator feedback, and locations on the sample. Service life, defined as the number of pulses for the output to drop to the 70% point, was recorded at 5 Hz for the higher dye concentrations. The highest efficiencies were observed for Pyrromethene 597 (is congruent to 70%), which had a service life of is congruent to 60,000 shots at 25 MW/cm2 and is congruent to 45,000 shots at 50 MW/cm2. The longest service life was measured for Rhodamine 11B (is congruent to 110,000 pulses at 25 MW/cm2), but this dye had somewhat lower efficiency (is congruent to 50 - 55%). Thermal lensing measurements were made for dye-doped PFMPG and MPMMA, and showed that the lensing is much lower in the hybrid matrix. The agreement with the theoretical modeling is very good.