Abstract
Electronic spectra of nine different types of organic colorants embedded in three different matrices (sol–gel SiO2 , PMMA, and SiO2–PMMA) were studied experimentally with the use of optical absorption, photoluminescence excitation, and emission techniques, as well as fluorescent microscopy and atomic force microscopy. We found a distinct set of energy levels for each type of dye. The type of matrix and the degree of aggregation of the organic molecules have relatively small effects on the spectra, although their influence on the optical density of the material is essential. The character of the energy spectra is mainly related with the shape of the dye molecule. A quantum mechanical description of the electronic spectra of these molecules was made on the basis of the free electron molecular orbitals approach. The molecules were considered as two-dimensional potential wells with different shapes. The effect of boundary conditions on the energy spectra was studied. The direct solution of the Schrödinger equation shows a good theory–experiment correlation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Brinker, C.J. and Sherer, G.W., Sol-Gel Glass: Gelation and Gel Structure, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1985, vol. 70, pp. 301-322.
Avnir, D., Levy, D., and Reisfeld, R., The Nature of the Silica Cage as Reflected by Spectral Changes and Enhanced Photostability of Trapped Rhodamine 6G, J. Chem. Phys., 1984, vol. 88, pp. 5956-5959.
Whitehurst, M.C., Shaw, D.J., and King, T.A., Proc. SPIE-Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., 1990, vol. 1328, p. 785.
Knobbe, K.T., Dunn, B., Fugua, P.D., and Nishida, F., Laser Behavior and Photostability Characteristics of Organic Dye Doped Silicate Gel Materials, Appl. Opt., 1990, vol. 29, pp. 2729-2733.
Sanchez, C. and In, M., Molecular Design of Alkoxide Precursor for the Synthesis of Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Gels, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1992, vol. 147/148, pp. 1-12.
Díaz-Flores, L.L., Perez-Bueno, J.J., Ramírez-Bon, R., et al., Improved Light Stability of Colored SiO2 Coatings Containing Organic and Metalorganic Dye Molecules, J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A, 2000, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 1579-1583.
Murashkevich, A.N., Vashina, V.G., and Zharskii, I.M., Synthesis of Active Porous Silica Gel Materials and Investigation of Their Properties, J. Sol-Gel Sci. Technol., 2001, vol. 20, pp. 7-12.
Salin, F., Le Saux, G., and Georges, P., Efficient Tunable Solid-State Laser near 630 nm Using Sulforhodamine 640-Doped Silica, Opt. Lett., 1989, vol. 14, pp. 785-787.
Somasundram, G. and Ramalingam, A., J. Appl. Phys., 2000, vol. 90, p. 1.
Perez-Bueno, J.J., Díaz-Flores, L.L., Pérez-Robles, J.F., et al., Optical Processes in SiO2 Sol-Gel Glass Colored with Organic Dyes, Inorg. Mater., 2000, vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 1060-1069.
Avnir, D., Caufman, V.R., and Reisfeld, R., Organic Fluorescent Dyes Trapped in Silica and Silica-Titania Thin Films by Sol-Gel Method, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1985, vol. 74, pp. 395-406.
Pérez-Bueno, J.J., Vasquez-García, S.R., García-González, L., et al., Optical Processes in PMMA, SiO2, and Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Sol-Gel Films Colored with Rhodamine 6GDN, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2002, vol. 106, pp. 1550-1556.
Nikishiori, H., Tanaka, N., and Fujii, T., Monomer- Dimer Equilibrium of Rhodamine B Encapsulated in Si- Al and Si-Ti Binary-Oxide Thin Films, J. Sol-Gel Sci. Technol., 2001, vol. 20, pp. 95-104.
Perez-Bueno, J.J., Díaz-Flores, L.L., Pérez-Robles, J.F., et al., Organic-Inorganic System of Two-Dimensional Quantum Wells Prepared by the Dye Incorporation into Sol-Gel Glass, Microelectron. Eng., 2000, vol. 51-52, pp. 667-675.
Lobnik, A. and Wolfbeis, O.S., Probing the Polarity of Sol-Gels and Ormosils via the Absorption of Nile Red, J. Sol-Gel Sci. Technol., 2001, vol. 20, pp. 303-311.
Mohsenin, N.N., Electromagnetic Radiation Properties of Foods and Agricultural Products, New York: Gordon and Breach, 1984, pp. 25-30.
Colthup, N.B. and Daly, L.H., Introduction to Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy, Boston: Academic, 1990, pp. 511-530.
Martínez, J.R., Ruiz, F., Vorobiev, Yu.V., et al., Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis of the Local Atomic Structure in Silica Prepared by Sol-Gel, J. Chem. Phys., 1998, vol. 109, pp. 7511-7514.
Pérez-Robles, J.F., Jimenez-Sandoval, S., González-Hernández, J., et al., Phonon Spectra in SiO2 Glasses, Rev. Mexicana Fis., 1999, vol. 45, pp. 150-155.
Li, X., King, T.A., and Pallikari-Viras, F., J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1994, vol. 170, p. 243.
Mizutani, R., Oono, Y., Matsuoka, J., et al., J. Mater. Sci., 1994, vol. 29, p. 5773.
García-Rodríguez, F J., Pérez-Robles, F., Manzano-Ramirez, A., et al., Solid State Commun., 1999, vol. 111, p. 717.
Griffits, J., Color and Constitution of Organic Molecules, London: Academic, 1976, pp. 24-29.
Birks, J.B., Photophysics of Aromatic Molecules, London: Interscience, 1970, pp. 1-26.
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Weastle, R.C. and Astle, M.J., Eds., Boca Raton: CRC, 1979, pp. F216-F219.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Díaz-Flores, L.L., Pérez-Robles, J.F., Vorobiev, P. et al. Structure and Optical Properties of Nanocomposites Prepared by the Incorporation of Organic Dyes into a SiO2 and SiO2–PMMA Glassy Matrix*. Inorganic Materials 39, 631–639 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024065606962
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024065606962