Laser dyes perylene orange (p-orange) or perylene red (p-red) or pyrromethene 567 (p567) were co-doped with coumarin 440 (C440) or coumarin 500 (C500) into MTES- and VTES-derived organically modified silicates (ORMOSILs) by sol-gel process. Energy transfer from both C440 and C500, energy donors, to p-red, p-orange and p567, acceptor, respectively, has been observed and studied by steady-state emission measurement. The effect of donor concentration on energy transfer and its mechanism were studied. The potential application as an energy transfer dye laser (ETDL) was also discussed. At least 1-fold increase in the slope efficiency of p-red and 3-fold increase in the photostability of p567 was observed in such ETDLs. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.