Picosecond fluorescence depolarisation measured by frequency conversion

Abstract A method of using sum frequency generation in a LiIO 3 crystal has been used with picosecond pulses from a dye laser to measure fluorescence decays in solution. Fluorescence can be detected at wavelengths greater than 1 μ. Some examples of the method to measure the rotational relaxation of dyes in solution are presented. In the dye cresyl violet two sites for solvent—solute interaction are proposed; one affects mainly the electronic properti of the molecule while the other hinders molecular rotation.