The nature of organically modified ceramics as reflected by photophysics of trapped HITC

Phase resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (PRFS) is used to analyze fluorescence emission decay kinetics of 1,1',3,3,3',3'-hexamethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (HITC) doped in different Organically Modified Ceramics (Ormocers), yielding information about the identity of the different environment surroundings of the organic dye. We report the first results on PRFS regarding to establish a relation between the HITC photophysics and the characteristics of the Ormocer surface. Lifetimes resolution and fractional contribution of different HITC species to the total fluorescence emission were reported. An increase in the HITC chemical stability was found for doped Ormocers in comparison to inorganic gel-glasses. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM) images of the Ormocers were showed.