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A dye laser is a type of laser that uses an organic dye as the gain medium. Unlike other lasers with fixed output wavelengths, dye lasers are tunable, meaning their output wavelength can be adjusted. This tunability is achieved by changing the dye and pump source, allowing them to emit radiation in a specific range, typically between 330 and 1,250 nanometres.12

Dye lasers are crucial instruments in spectroscopy, particularly for high-resolution studies. They provide a high-intensity, narrow-band, tunable source of radiation needed to investigate molecular phenomena like electronic spectra. The ability to tune the laser's output is essential for precisely measuring transitions between molecular energy levels. This makes dye lasers valuable tools in scientific research and applications like optical discs, where lasers are used to read data.13

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