Abstract
This paper reports the spectral and small signal laser gain characteristics of various solvated species of scopoletin. The spectra show that a methoxy substituent in the sixth position of 7-hydroxy coumarin precludes the formation of excited state tautomers and leads to a large overlap of the fluorescence bands of various species. This is also reflected in the gain, and the total gain bandwidth of scopoletin is small compared to that obtainable in 4 MU or 7 HC, utilizing the solvation characteristics of these dyes.