Laser performance of pyrromethene 567 dye in solid polymeric matrices with different cross-linking degrees

We report on the laser action of pyrromethene 567 (PM567) incorporated into copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with different methacrylic and acrylic cross-linking monomers: ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, tetraethyleneglycol diacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, and pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETRA). The vol/vol proportion of the different co-monomers in each copolymer formulation was systematically varied, and the effect of each composition on the lasing properties of PM567 was evaluated. The laser samples were transversely pumped at 534 nm with 5.5 mJ/pulse from a frequency doubled Q-switched Nd:KGW laser. Lasing efficiencies of up 26% and good stability with a drop of the initial laser output of 30% after 100 000 pump pulses at 5 Hz in P(MMA:PETRA 95:5) were demonstrated. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.