Spectral features of some red and NIR laser dyes in silica matrices

We synthesized a series of sol-gel silica matrices doped with laser dyes DCM, LK678, LD1, LD2 which alcohol solutions have efficient lasing in the red spectral region and Rhodamine 800 - in the near infrared (NIR) one. Absorption, fluorescence, and laser properties of the dyes in silica samples prepared by sol-gel process were investigated. It has found some peculiarities in preparation process of the laser matrices and in spectral characteristics of the dyes in these matrices.