Amplified spontaneous emission of pyranyliden derivatives in PVK matrix

One of the well-known red light emitting laser dyes is 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4Hpyran (DCM). Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) has been widely investigated of DCM molecules or its derivatives in polymer or low molecular weight matrix. The main issue for these molecules is aggregation which limits doping concentration in matrix. Lowest ASE threshold values within concentration range of 2 and 4 wt% were obtained. In this work ASE properties of two original DCM derivatives in poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) at various concentrations will be discussed. One of the derivatives is the same DCM dye with replaced butyl groups at electron donor part with bulky trytiloxyethyl groups (DWK-1). These groups do not influence electron transitions in the dye but prevent aggregation of the molecules. Second derivative (DWK-2) consists of two equal donor groups with the attached trytiloxyethyl groups. All results were compared with DCM:PVK system. Photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) is almost three times larger for DWK-1 concentration up to 20wt% with respect to DCM systems. PLQY was saturated on 0.06 at higher DWK-1 concentrations. Bulky trytiloxyethyl groups prevent aggregation of the molecules thus decreasing interaction between dyes and numbers of non-radiative decays. Red shift of photoluminescence and amplified spontaneous emission at higher concentrations were observed due to the solid state solvation effect. Increases of dye density in matrix with smaller lose in PLQY resulted in low ASE threshold energy. The lowest threshold value was obtained around 29 μJ/cm² in DWK-1:PVK films.