Photophysical, photochemical and laser behavior of some diolefinic laser dyes in sol–gel and methyl methacrylate/2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate copolymer matrices

The photophysical properties such as singlet absorption, molar absorptivity, fluorescence spectra, dipole moment, fluorescence quantum yields, fluorescence lifetimes and laser activity of 1,4-bis (β-Pyridyl-2-Vinyl) Benzene (P2VB), 2,5-distyryl-pyrazine (DSP) and 1,4-bis(2-methylstyryl)benzene(MSB) diolefineic laser dyes have been measured in different restricted hosts. (P2VB), (DSP) and (MSB) are embedded in transparent sol–gel glass and a copolymer of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) media. The absorption and fluorescence properties of these laser dyes in sol–gel glass matrices are compared with their respective properties in copolymer host. The photostability of these laser dyes in sol–gel glass and (MMA/HEMA) copolymer samples are measured in terms of half-life method (using nitrogen laser 337.1nm in pumping), as the number of pulses necessary to reduce the dye laser intensity to 50% of its original value. The gel laser materials show improved photostability upon pumping by nitrogen laser compared with those in organic polymeric host matrix. •Laser action and photophysical properties are reported for solid-state dye lasers.•Sol–gels and a copolymer were used as hosts for three diolefinic laser dyes.•Sol–gel media are superior to copolymers.•Sol–gels possess optical transparency, inertness and photostability.•High intersystem crossing rates are observed in copolymer matrix.