Thermo-optical properties of polar dielectric laser dye solvents

This work is devoted to study the thermo-optical properties of three important pure polar dielectric laser dye solvents (aniline, pyridine and ethyl ether). Experimental measurements of the refractive index n and its thermo-optic coefficient dn/dT are carried out using dual laser Mach-Zehnder interferometric technique. The determined values of n and dn/dT are used to extract new data concerning the mentioned laser dye solvents. Applying the empirical relationship of Cauchy between the refractive index and the wavelength, the optical dispersion dn/d lambda. and dn/dT, as a function of wavelength are calculated and represented. Additionally, Cauchy's constants as a function of temperature has been calculated and a comparison between the studied solvents are considered. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.