Reversible photodegradation of Amplifield Spontaneous Emmission of Disperse Orange 11 dye doped in PMMA Polymer

We use amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and linear absorption spectroscopy to study the mechanisms of reversible photodegradation of 1-amino-2-methylanthraquinone (disperse orange11-DO11) in solid poly(methyl methacrylate). Chemical and physical damage of the dye doped polymer recovers to its initial state after few hours. Linear absorption measurements as a function of decay of the ASE intensity reveals that there is a damaged state that is populated as the sample damages. Linear absorption measurements at elevated temperatures confirms the presence of a damaged state, but its character is not identical to the damaged population induced by high-intensity light. A preliminary energy level diagram is determined, from measurements which agrees with independent data and theory. In this presentation I will discuss temperature dependent measurements which support our theory and qualitative explanations of the mechanisms.