Photophysical parameters and laser performance of 3-(4′-dimethylaminophenyl)-1-(2-furanyl)prop-2-en-1-one (DMAFP): A new laser dye

The spectral properties such as singlet absorption, molar absorptivity, emission spectra, fluorescence quantum yield and excited state lifetime of 3-(4′-dimethylaminophenyl)-1-(2-furanyl)prop-2-en-1-one (DMAFP) have been determined in different solvents. DMAFP dye exhibits a large red shift in both electronic absorption and emission spectra as the solvent polarity increases, indicating a large change in the dipole moment of molecules upon excitation. A crystalline solid of DMAFP gives an excimer like emission at 566 nm due to the excitation of molecular aggregates. This is expected from the idealized crystal structure of the dye that belongs to the B-type class of Steven's classification. The ground and excited state protonation constants of DMAFP are calculated and amounted to 1.71 and 8.3, respectively. DMAFP acts as a good laser dye upon pumping with nitrogen laser (λex=337.1 nm) in chloroform, methylene chloride and dioxane and gives laser emission in the range 460–590 nm. The laser parameters such as the tuning range, gain coefficient (α), emission cross section (σe) and half-life energy (E1/2) are calculated. The photoreactivity and net photochemical quantum yield of DMAFP in chloromethane solvents are also studied.