Coumarin 1, Coumarin 2 and Coumarin 120 are embedded in transparent sol-gel glass samples prepared by sol-gel process using dip method. The sol-gel matrix is given dip treatment with Methanol /Distilled Water (50/50 vol) for 1 to 16 h before dipping into dye solution. The effect of dipping time of matrix in Methanol/ Distilled Water on spectroscopic properties of coumarin dye doped glass samples has been studied. The Optical Density (OD) at absorption maximum wavelength and Fluorescence Intensity (FI) at fluorescence maximum wavelength of all coumarin dyes increase with the time of dipping of the sol-gel sample. These absorption/fluorescence properties of coumarin dyes in sol-gel glass matrices are compared with its respective properties in methanolic solution in acidic environment. The cause of these changes in OD/FI with dipping time is discussed by taking into account the absorption / fluorescence of dye in acidified methanol.

Rhodamine-6G (Rh-6G) is embedded in sol-gel glass samples which have been prepared by three different methods namely: 1) using HCl as catalyst and glycerol as Drying Control Chemical Additive (DCCA), 2) using HCl as catalyst at 60 degrees C and drying at room temperature and 3) using HCl as catalyst at 60 degrees C and heated at 600 degrees C for 3 h. Comparative studies of spectroscopic and lasing properties of the three types of Rh-6G containing samples were carried out with the lapse of time upto 8 months. Photostability of Rh-6G containing sol-gel samples is measured in terms of half life under Nitrogen laser pumping as number of pulses of N2 laser necessary to reduce the dye laser intensity to 50% of the original value and value is 7500 pulses at 1.67 Hz rate. The best performance of Rh-6G, as far as its spectroscopic and lasing properties are concerned was found in third type of host matrices using HCl as catalyst at 60 degrees C and heated at 600 degrees C for 3 h.

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