Spectral broadening in a microdroplet dye laser

We have observed broadening of the lasing spectrum of 60-μm diameter micrdroplet dye lasers. The spectral width of microdroplet dye lasers consisting of Rhodamine 6G or Pyrromethene 597 is essentially constant when water is used as a solvent but broaden by >30% at high input-laser intensities when ethanol is used as solvent. Spectral broadening is preceded by stimulated Raman scattering of ethanol in the microdroplets as the input-laser intensity increases.