Optics Optik Optik Optik 121 (2010) 11–18 Spectroscopic and lasing properties of Xanthene dyes encapsulated in silica and polymeric matrices Sunita Sharma a,Ã , Devendra Mohan a , Nageshwar Singh b , Meenakshi Sharma a , A.K. Sharma c a Department of Applied Physics, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar 125001, Haryana, India b Department of Atomic Energy, Raja Ramanna Center of Advanced Technology, Indore, India c Department of Physics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India Received 30 November 2007; accepted 15 May 2008 Abstract The photo-physical properties of Xanthene dyes: Basic Rhodamine Yellow (BRY), Rhodamine590perchlorate (R590p), SulforhodamineB (SRB) doped in tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS) and poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) are observed. The various parameters viz. full-width at half-maxima (FWHM), peak emission wavelength, quantum yield and excited state lifetime at different concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 1 mM of the dye under excitation by Copper Vapor Laser (CVL) of high repetition rate (5.6 kHz) of are investigated. In order to identify photostability in dyes, normalized photostability has been studied and found that silica gel samples containing dye are more stable than that of polymeric samples. This has been further understood in terms of number density of unbleached dye molecules that infers that photobleaching of dye molecules is not prominent at higher concentrations in glassy solid matrices. Pump intensity dependent optical gain of the samples has also been reported and efforts have been made to study the efficiency of solid-state laser samples in a cavity for the performance of the dye laser. r 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. PACS: 42.60.Da; 42.70.Ce; 78.66.Jg; 78.70.En Keywords: Silica matrices; Fluorescence; Photostability; Copper vapor laser; Solid-state dye laser 1. Introduction Solid-state dye lasers are inherently free from defects like flammable, toxic solvents, bulky volume and many more problems imposed by liquid solvents [1,2]. Solid-state dye laser is expected to be compact, versatile, inexpensive, nontoxic and having many more advantages [3,4]. The photo-physical properties of laser grade dyes doped in different solid host matrices are studied in past by various research groups [5–7]. However, the aggregate formation of the dye molecules at higher concentrations is to be minimized by restricting their mobility by entrapping them in solid matrices as is observed in case of liquids. Unfortunately, problem arises because of photo degrada- tion of the dye molecules and therefore photostable dyes are proposed to be used for the better performance of the dye lasers. The molecules are required to be put into solid- state hosts of high optical quality and low thermal ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.de/ijleo 0030-4026/$ - see front matter r 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ijleo.2008.05.005 Ã Corresponding author. Tel.: +01662 263176 (Off); fax: +01662 276240. E-mail address: sunphotonics@gmail.com (S. Sharma).