Solvent effects on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of some laser dyes: estimation of ground and excited-state dipole moments

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of three extensively used laser dyes namely 1,1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,3-butadiene (TPB), 2-(4'-t-butylphenyl)-5-(4'-biphenylyl)-1-oxa-3,4-diazole (BPBD), 1,4-bis2-(2-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-benzene (Bis-MSB) have been recorded at room temperature (300K) in solvents of different polarities. The effects of the solvents upon the spectral properties are discussed. The ground-state dipole moments (mu(g)) were determined experimentally by Guggenheim and Higasi method separately and were compared with theoretical values obtained using quantum chemical method. The ground-state dipole moments obtained by using Guggenheim method were then used in the estimation of excited-state dipole moments (mu(e)) by using Lippert's, Bakhshiev's and Kawski-Chamma-Viallet's equations. In all the above three equations the variation of the Stokes shift with the solvent dielectric constant and refractive index was made use of. It was observed that dipole moments of excited state were higher than those of the ground state for all the dyes.