Abstract

We report laser lifetimes >320,000 pulses from a solid-state organic dye laser utilizing a rotating disk geometry. A solid-state dye laser was constructed from a dye activated ORMOSIL composite material, which was cast in the form of a disk, machined to shape, and polished using standard abrasives. The disk was then rotated slowly at a speed of 2°/s to increase dye/pump volume. The laser materials used in this investigation were based on methacrylate modified silica (ORMOSIL) gels doped with rhodamine B chloride (RB). The synthesis of these materials was detailed previously.¹

© 1992 Optical Society of America