Characterization of Rhodamine 6G-Doped Thin Sol-Gel Films

Abstract
Rhodamine 6G- (R6G) doped thin sol-gel films were cast on glass microscope slides and characterized with the use of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence intensity, photodegradation under laser illumination, and excited-state decay kinetics were all investigated as a function of dopant concentration. The excited-state decay kinetics of highly doped films show clear evidence of R6G aggregation. Photodegradation under laser illumination is very interesting and is discussed in detail.