Abstract

The effect of an external electric field on spectral holes of dye molecules in disordered systems, e.g. polymer films and Langmuir-Blodgett films, [1, 2] and its applications are studied. We observed a filling in the center of the persistent spectral hole, which is caused by electric-field-induced shifts of the electronic levels of the dye molecules. The experimental results for perylene in polyvinylbutyral (PVB) are explained by a linear electric field dependence of the level shifts which is ascribed to the interaction of the dye molecules with the amorphous matrix. The magnitude of the level shifts is determined by comparing the experimental results with the calculations [2]. Experiments are reported which provide information about phonon-induced transitions in the double well potentials which are characteristic of amorphous solids.

© 1984 Optical Society of America