Kiton red S dye: Photophysical, photostability, photothermal and narrow-band laser performances using different solvents

Many aspects of photophysical, photostability and laser properties of kiton red S dye remain unresolved, particularly for pumping with 578 nm radiation of CVL and 532 nm output of Nd:YAG lasers, and these are studied using different alcohol- and water-based binary solvents. Our results show that methanol is better suited for low and high-repetition-rate KRS dye lasers because of its superior laser efficiency, photostability as well as photothermal properties.     

Heavy-water-based solutions of rhodamine dyes: photophysical properties and laser operation

Photophysical properties of heavy-water-based rhodamine dye solutions have been investigated, with a view to assess the suitability of heavy water as a solvent for high-power, high-repetition-rate dye lasers and amplifiers. We have measured the quantum yield of fluorescence of the commonly used dyes rhodamine-6G, rhodamine-B and kiton-red, dissolved in heavy water, ethanol and normal water. The performance of a heavy-water-based pulsed rhodamine-6G dye laser has been investigated in broadband, as well as in narrowband wavelength-tunable resonator configurations, yielding laser efficiencies comparable to those achieved with ethanolic solutions of the same dye. We have also studied the thermo-optic properties of normal and heavy water, using the Z-scan technique. Finally, photodegradation rates for laser dyes have been compared in heavy water, normal water and ethanol. Our results establish heavy water as a solvent superior to both ethanol and normal water, on account of the lower thermo-optic effects and the higher photostability of rhodamine dyes when dissolved in heavy water. Received: 8 February 2002 / Published online: 8 August 2002     

小分子改性的聚合物固体染料激光特性研究

PMMA是常用的固体染料基质，通过添加乙醇进行改性，形成MPMMA，并对其透过率、荧光光谱、激光光谱和斜率效率进行研究.乙醇对染料的宽带荧光谱的影响较小，荧光谱的带宽为～50nm；激光光谱半宽为7—9 nm，激光光谱的峰值波长随乙醇体积比改变而相应的移动；乙醇体积比存在一个最佳值(15%)，使介质在600 nm—750 nm波段具有最好的透过率(～90%)，并且获得最的斜率效率，其值为49.7%. 关键词： 固体染料 改性聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯 宽带激光 PM567     

Refractive indices and thermo-optical properties of dye laser solvents

By measuring the wavelength tuning of a distributed feedback dye laser, solvent refractive-index changes as small as 0.0002 may be determined. This technique hence allows precise measurement of refractive-index dependence on temperature (dn/dT) and therefore enables the thermo-optical properties of solvents used in dye lasers to be assessed. In addition to single component solvents, the thermo-optical properties of solvent mixtures and additives are reported here. The refractive-index change with temperature (dn/dT) is related to solvent density change with temperature (dq/dT) through molecular polarizability.     

Laser dye stability

The experimental parameters for solution temperature, solvent purity, and ultraviolet (uv) light removal have been examined as they affect the first-order bleaching constant, lasing slope efficiency, lasing threshold, and laser half-life of three dyes using air as the cover gas. A±10°C change from the ambient temperature was found to reduce the lasing output of solutions of the dyes rhodamine 6G, LD-490, and coumarin 102. Improving the purity of the solvent made no dramatic effects but did tend to yield somewhat lower bleaching rates and longer lasing lifetimes. The first-order bleaching constant for the dye LD-490 in several solvents was found to decrease in the order methanol >95% ethanol>ethanol. Although LD-490 in ethanol had twice the laser lifetime of that in methanol, the use of uv light filtration reversed this order. However, LD-490 still bleached faster in methanol than it did in ethanol. Interestingly using the uv filter, germicil quartz, did not decrease the lasing slope efficiency, but it made a slight increase in both the lasing slope efficiency and the lasing threshold. The use of the more strongly absorbing pyrex filter did, however, decrease the lasing slope efficiency as well as increase the threshold.     

Solvent dependent characteristics of XeCl pumped UV dye lasers

The characteristics of near uv dye lasers pumped with short duration, 308 nm pulses from a XeCl laser are described with particular emphasis on the parameters influencing high average power operation. The solvent is shown to effect the operation of all dye lasers studied, particularly the photochemical stability. Measurements of the efficiency, as a function of the integrated pump energy have been made for a series of dye-solvent combinations. With the best combinations, average output powers in excess of 1W and conversion efficiencies greater than 25% were obtained at a repetition rate of ∼100 Hz.     

Influence of the Structure of Water–Alcohol Solutions of Dyes on Their Molecular Association

The spectral and luminescence characteristics of water and water–ethanol solutions of dyes have been investigated. The efficiency of the process of association of dye molecules and the structure of the complexes formed depending on their concentration and the solvent composition have been established. The presence of inhomogeneities in the distribution of dissolved complex molecules in the water matrix which determine the high efficiency of the association processes in water solutions as compared with other solvents is shown. The characteristic sizes of these inhomogeneities have been estimated.     

A Water Environment Forces Retinyl Palmitate to Create Self-Organized Structures in Binary Solvents

The interaction between retinyl palmitate molecules and their environment in binary water/p-dioxane and water/isopropyl alcohol solvents was studied under different solvent polarities. The binary solvent polarities were changed by changing the molar ratios of water to p-dioxane (or isopropyl alcohol). The fluorescence emission and fluorescence excitation spectra were analyzed. In binary solvents, the interaction between retinyl palmitate molecules and environments of different polarities leads to the self-organization of retinyl palmitate, and as a result, different fluorescence centers are created. The similar fluorescence properties of these centers in different binary solvents were interpreted as a water driving force inducing the self-organization of retinyl palmitate. The possible consequences of this phenomenon for misleading interpretation of model studies of retinol interaction with retinol transporting proteins are also discussed.     

The Fluorosolvatochromism of Brooker's Merocyanine in Pure and in Mixed Solvents

The fluorescence-based solvatochromism (fluorosolvatochromism) of 4-[(1-methyl-4(1H)-pyridinylidene)-ethylidene]-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one (Brooker's merocyanine) was studied. The results revealed that the fluorescence emission band of the dye was dependent on the medium ( nm in water and nm in DMF). The fluorescence quantum yields (φ _f) were calculated for the dye in the solvents investigated. Low φ _f values ( < 10%) were obtained for the dye and in order to better comprehend the radiative and nonradiative decay processes of this dye, its fluorescence lifetime in methanol was measured and was found to be very short (230 ps). The results suggest that the dye in the excited state decays rapidly through nonradiative processes. The behavior of the probe in binary mixtures including a hydrogen-bond accepting solvent (acetonitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide, and dimethylsulfoxide) and a hydroxylic solvent (water, methanol, ethanol, propan-2-ol, and butan-1-ol) was also investigated. All data were successfully fitted to a model based on solvent exchange equilibria, which allowed the separation of the different contributions of the solvent species in the solvation shell of the dye. The data obtained for the mixed solvents were explained based on solute–solvent and solvent–solvent interactions.     

Dye-Laser Fluorescence of 4-Methylumbelliferone and Related Coumarins

During tha eight years since phthalocyanine solution was used by Sorokin and Lankard in the original dye laser¹ and DTTC bromide and iodide were used in the work of Schafer, Schmidt and Volze², laser emission has been reported³ from close on 400 combinations of laser dye and solvents covering a wavelength range extending from 340 to 1175 nm. Many hundreds or even thousands of attempts to induce laser action in a vast number of available chemicals have proved unsuccessful, either by pulsed or continuous laser pumping, or by flashlamp techniques. In fact, relatively few combinations have established themselves as highly efficient, reliable and entirely satisfactory dye laser media. The compound rhodamine 6G is probably the most widely used in the range 540–640 nm. However, some ten different solvents and a variety of excitation techniques have been necessary to maintain maximum fluorescence intensity over this range. A t shorter wavelengths an acidic solution of 4,6- dimethyl-7-methylamino-coumarin in ethanol was observed to lase⁴ over the range 430–530 nm and a particular solution of 4-methylumbelliferone to lase from 391 to 567 nm⁵. This offered the possibility of achieving narrow linewidth tunability using dye lasers based on single solutions. It represented a significant advance on the first experiments² in which it was possible by changing the solvent, varying the solute concentration or changing the reflectivity of the resonator mirror, to Shift the wavelengths by up to 60 nmm in the infra-red region.     

Potential for the use of ultrasound in the extraction of antioxidants from Rosmarinus officinalis for the food and pharmaceutical industry

Ultrasound was used to increase the extraction efficiency of carnosic acid from the herb Rosmarinus officinalis using butanone, ethyl acetate and ethanol as solvents. Both dried and fresh leaves of the herb were extracted and, when performed at the same temperature, sonication improved the yields of carnosic acid for all three solvents and shortened the extraction times. Sonication also reduced the solvent effect so that ethanol, which is a poor solvent under conventional conditions, reached a similar level of extraction efficiency to the other two when sonicated. The extraction of dried herb with ethanol proved to be more efficient than that of fresh material, probably due to the water present in the latter.     

Laser Q-switching by organic solvents

The role of the solvent in the passive Q-switching of lasers by solutions of organic dyes has been examined in detail. It was found that several pure organic solvents could themselves partially Q-switch the laser, in the absence of the dye. This behaviour was observed for both ruby and neodymium: glass lasers. Pulse-widths as short as 20 nsec were occasionally recorded. Peak powers up to 2 MW have been observed using 1-chloronaphthalene to switch a ruby laser. It is proposed that Q-switching arises from an enhancement of reflectivity of the liquid, during the evolution of the laser pulse, through the formation of a periodic refractive index modulation in the liquid by the action of standing waves.Research Fellow, attached from Royal Holloway College.     

Influence of Solvent on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Efficiency: What is so Special About Acetonitrile? (Part. Part. Syst. Charact. 5/2021)

The selection of solvent for preparing a working electrode (and to act as the electrolyte) is known to influence the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. In this topical review, results taken from a systematic study are presented from the authors’ own lab examining how protic and aprotic solvents, as well as solvent polarity, affect adsorption of carboxylic dyes on the titanium dioxide nanoparticle surface and electron injection from the dye to the semiconductor. Adsorption of dye molecules on nanoparticle surfaces is measured through second harmonic light scattering and electron injection through ultrafast transient mid-infrared absorption. It is revealed that protic solvents do not allow direct adsorption of the dye onto the semiconductor surface, due to hydrogen bonding with the dye and competitive binding to the semiconductor surface. Aprotic solvents, on the other hand, support solvation of the dye molecules but also facilitate dye adsorption on the semiconductor nanoparticle. Among aprotic solvents, it is found that solvents with higher polarity result in larger adsorption free energy for the dye and faster electron injection. Overall, these studies reveal that aprotic solvents with high solvent polarity (such as acetonitrile) yield more efficient solar cell devices.     

Emission polarization of random lasers in organic dye solutions

This Letter presents a polarimetric study of the emission of random lasers from organic dyes. Coherent lasing modes from samples with ethanol solvent showed a high degree of polarization and did not influence each other in polarization. The proper choice of a laser dye with asymmetric absorption momenta, a highly viscous solvent, and a linear pump polarization can cause the random lasing emission to be completely linearly polarized for all wavelengths within the amplification range.     

Taming fluorescence yield of dye insensitive to temperature by non-covalent complex with the host CB[7] for aqueous dye lasers

Quantum yield of fluorescence (QYF) of widely used Rhodamine (RhB) dye in ethanol and water was observed to decrease rapidly with increase in temperature of the dye solutions, which was correlated to enhanced torsional motion of its flexible diethylamino groups. This is harmful for its use in high-average power dye lasers, pumped by copper vapour laser (CVL) or diode-pumped solid-state green laser (DPSSGL), in which bulk temperature of the dye solution was found to increase due to the heat generated by circulation pumps and non-radiative decay processes of excited dye molecules. The QYF of RhB dye in water was found to be not sensitive to temperature in the practical operating region 16–25°C of dye laser by adopting supramolecular route to form an inclusion complex of RhB with the container molecule cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]).     

New efficient laser dye for pulsed and CW operation in the UV

A new laser dye for pulsed and cw operation has been synthesized which can be tuned from 362 nm up to 412 nm. For pulsed excitation with a XeCl excimer laser an energy conversion of 18.5% has been measured at the tuning maximum of the dye; this is the highest efficiency for any known dye in the UV. For cw operation a low laser threshold and a goof efficiency have been observed. The range of tuned cw dye lasers is extended by 30 nm to shorter wavelengths. The dye shows high photochemical stability even at high pump laser power.     

宽带输出PM580掺杂聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯固体染料激光器研究

采用高效激光染料PM580作为掺杂物质,聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)作为基质,在对固体染料光谱特性研究的基础上,重点研究了调Q倍频Nd:YAG抽运下不同染料掺杂浓度的固体染料激光输出特性.研究结果表明掺杂浓度对输出激光波长影响明显,随着掺杂浓度的增加,激光输出波长红移,从激光增益出发,对该现象给出了理论解释.掺杂浓度对激光转化效率也有影响,当掺杂浓度为2×10^－4mol/L时,获得染料激光输出斜率效率最高达53.8%,抽运能量410mJ时,获得染料激光输出220mJ,激光带宽～8nm 关键词： 固体染料 宽带染料激光 PM580 聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯     

A distributed feedback dye laser based on higher order Bragg scattering

A distributed feedback dye laser based on second order Bragg scattering due to a sinusoidal susceptibility modulation is reported. Rhodamine 6G dye solution in three different solvents; methanol, ethanol and benzyl alcohol is pumped by interference fringes produced by two beams from the second harmonic of Nd:YAG laser. Output power is plotted as a function of the pump power. The spectrum of dye laser shows a new type of modulation.     

The 3-CN-4-MU dye laser in ethanol containing various amounts of water,acid or alkali

Dye laser emission from 3-cyano-4-methylumbelliferone in alcoholic solutions containing various amounts of water, acid, or alkali was studied, and the best solvent compositions for the dye were determined. By nitrogen laser pumping, (1) anhydrous ethanolic solution gave very intense laser emission in 400–470 nm region. (2) Aqueous ethanol solutions containing more than 4% of water gave laser of longer-wavelength region, 440–510 nm. Among them, the solution of 16% in water content gave the highest powers. Addition of very small amount of perchloric acid solution to them resulted in a slight expansion of the tuning range toward the shorter wavelength without reducing the intensities. By flashlamp pumping, (3) only the laser of the longer-wavelength region was obtained with aqueous ethanol solutions. The optimum water content to give the highest power was 35–45%.     

Dual-wavelength operation of two coupled dye lasers

The analysis of the influence of an intracavity absorbing dye cell on the spectral characteristics of a free running dye laser leads to the operation of two coupled dye lasers. A powerful flashlamp-pumped dye ring laser pumps a secondary intracavity dye laser with a conversion efficiency of 30 %. Both wavelengths are independently tunable and cover the spectral range from 580 nm to 652 nm in the case of the dye combination rhodamine 6G and cresyl violet.