Molecular engineering and photostability of laser dyes within sol-gel hosts

The use of solid-state dye laser for commercial applications has been limited largely by the poor photostability of the gain medium. Techniques are examined to improve the photostability of Coumarin and Pyrromethene-BF2 567 (PM- 567) laser dyes within xerogel and Polyceram hosts synthesized by sol-gel processing. The photochemical mechanisms by which laser dyes degrade are discussed and determined specifically for PM-567. PM-567 was determined to degrade both by photo-oxidation and acid degradation. Techniques for improving photostability are described from a molecular engineering perspective. These techniques include: covalently attaching the laser dye to the host; controlling the chemical environment of the dye; increasing dye caging by increasing the SiO2 content; removing porosity from the host; and incorporating additives such as hindered amine light stabilizers to minimize photodegradation.

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