Page 229 - Handbook of Lasers

Section 1.3
SOLID STATE DYE LASERS

1.3.1 Introduction
Solid state lasers based on organic molecules as the active element have utilized a variety
of different host materials—plastics and polymers, organic and inorganic single crystals and
glasses, gelatins, and biological materials—and have been operated in a wavelength range
from 376 to 865 nm. One solid state dye laser has been offered commercially.

Data on the various types of solid state dye lasers are given in Tables 1.3.1 to 1.3.7
where the host material, dye, lasing wavelength, pump source and wavelength, and primary
references to laser action are tabulated. The lasing wavelength and output of dye lasers
depend on the characteristics of the optical cavity, the dye concentration, the optical
1
pumping source and rate, and other operating conditions. The original references should
therefore be consulted for this information and its effect on the lasing wavelength.The
references should also be consulted for details of the chemical composition and molecular
structure of the dyes and host compounds. 2

1. Schäfer, F. P., Ed., Dye Lasers, 3rd. edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin (1990).
2. Maeda, M., Laser Dyes, Academic Press, New York (1984).

Further Reading
Bezrodnyi, V. I., Bondar, M. V., Kozak, G. Yu., Przhonskaya, O. V., and Tikhonov, E.
A., Dye-activated polymer media for frequency-tunable lasers (review), Zh. Prikl.
Spektrosk. (USSR) 50, 711 (1989).

Bezrodnyi, V. I., Przhonskaya, O. V., Tikhonov, E. A., Bondar, M. V., and Shpak, M.
T., Polymer active and passive laser elements made of organic dyes, Sov. J. Quantum
Electron. 12, 1602 (1982).

Dodabalapur, A., Chanddross, E. A., Berggren, M., and Slusher, R. L. Organic solid-state
lasers: past and future, Science 277, 1787 (1997).

Dyumaev, K. M., Manenkov, A. A., Maslyukov, A. P., Matyushin, G. A., Nechitailo, V.
S., and Prokhorov, A. M., Dyes in modified polymers: problems of photostability and
conversion efficiency at high intensities, J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 9, 143 (1992).

Rahn, M. D. and King, T. A., Comparison of laser performance of dye molecules in sol-gel,
polycom, ormosil, and poly(methyl methacryalte) host media, Appl. Optics 34, 8260
(1995).

Tagaya, A., Teramoto, S., Nihei, E., Sasake, K., and Koike, Y., High-power and high-gain
organic dye-doped polymer optical fiber amplifiers: novel techniques for preparation
and spectral investigation, Appl. Optics 36, 572 (1997).

Zink, J. I. and Dunn, B. S., Photonic materials by the sol-gel process, J. Cer. Soc. Jpn. 99,
878 (1991).

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