Liquid Lasers Based on Lanthanide Complexes

The review deals with the chemical problems concerning the use of neodymium, europium, gadolinium, and terbium complexes in liquid lasers. The equilibria arising in solutions are briefly examined. The principal liquid laser systems have been analysed. The systems can be divided into two types: chelate systems with transfer of absorbed energy from the ligand molecule to the lanthanide ion (these include europium, gadolinium, and terbium complexes) and systems based on neodymium complexes in inorganic solvents. The latter are distinguished by enhanced stability to the action of light and are at present the most promising for the preparation of liquid lasers.
The effect of solvents and structure of the complexes on the laser properties of the systems is also discussed.
The bibliography includes 109 references.