The perylene derivative BASF-241 solution as a new tunable dye laser in the visible

Basic optical properties of the perylene derivative BASF-241 solution in chloroform relevant to its application as a dye laser were measured. The fluorescence spectrum, excited by frequency-doubled (532-nm) Nd:YAG laser pulses, shows three pronounced peaks centered at 540, 580, and 630 nm, with a Stokes shift and mirror image in relation to the absorption spectrum. The quantum yield was about a unity, with a lifetime of 5.0±0.5 ns. Addition of trichloroacetic acid (CCl₃COOH) causes a red shift of absorption and fluorescence spectra by about 750 cm^-1-L/mol. In a cavity consisting of a ~100% reflecting back mirror and an 8% reflecting output coupler, lasing was obtained at 577 nm, with a threshold of ~10 μJ/pulse. Using a grating, a tuning range of almost 20 nm was obtained, centered at the 0-1 fluorescence emission peaks