Distributed-feedback dye-doped solgel silica lasers

Optical bending sensor using distributed feedback solid state dye lasers on optical fiber

Novel type of optical fiber sensor was proposed and demonstrated. The print-like fabrication technique fabricates multiple distributed feedback solid state dye lasers on a polymeric optical fiber (POF) with tapered coupling. This multi-active-sidecore structure was easily fabricated and provides multiple functions. Mounting the lasers on the same point of a multimode POF demonstrated a bending radius sensitivity of 20 m without any supports. Two axis directional sensing without cross talk was also confirmed. A more complicated mounting formation can demonstrate a twisted POF. The temperature property of the sensor was also studied, and elimination of the temperature influence was experimentally attained.

Fundamental characteristics of degradation-recoverable solid-state DFB polymer laser

A novel solid-state dye laser with degradation recovery was proposed and demonstrated. Polydimethylsiloxane was used as a nanoporous solid matrix to enable the internal circulation of dye molecules in the solid state. An internal circulation model for the dye molecules was also proposed and verified numerically by assuming molecular mobility and using a proposed diffusion equation. The durability of the laser was increased 20.5-fold compared with that of a conventional polymethylmethacrylate laser. This novel laser solves the low-durability problem of dye-doped polymer lasers.

Hybrid Materials for Solid-State Dye Laser Applications

The quest for a solid-state tunable dye laser can be satisfied by sol-gel prepared organic-inorganic hybrids. A photostability study of porous silica-Rhodamine 6G hybrids prepared via a sol-gel method is presented. The dye molecules can be incorporated into the silica matrix by forming weak or covalent bonds (hybrids of classes I and II, respectively). New class II samples and traditional class I materials prepared by the pre-doping method were synthesized. Samples were characterized by photoluminescence measurements to compare the emission properties and the photostability of the samples. The decay of the fluorescence signal as the cumulative excitation energy increases is reported and interpreted by hypothesizing that the dye molecules can be hosted in different surroundings within the porous glass matrix. The reported photoluminescence and photobleaching features indicate the class II samples as good candidates for solid-state dye lasers.

Fabrication of a distributed-feedback dye laser with a grating structure in its plastic waveguide

Two approaches of fabricating grating structures for waveguided plastic dye lasers are described and compared for lasing performance. Rhodamine6G-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film on a PMMA substrate was used for the waveguide, and a distributed-feedback (DFB) laser operation with a single-propagation mode was demonstrated. The performances of both types of permanent grating structured DFB dye laser were better than those of a DFB dye laser on a plain waveguide with a dynamic grating formed by the interference of two pump beams. Wide tuning range is expected by use of a multistripe DFB laser with different grating pitches.