Study on the structure dependent ultrafast third-order optical nonlinearity of GeS2–In2S3 chalcogenide glasses

The results of the femtosecond time-resolved optical Kerr at 820 nm in GeS₂–In₂S₃ chalcogenide glasses indicate that the response time in GeS₂–In₂S₃ glasses is subpicosecond, which is predominantly due to the distortion of the electron cloud. The value of χ⁽³⁾ in 0.95GeS₂–0.05In₂S₃ glass is also as large as 2.7 × 10⁻¹³ esu, and it reduces with the addition of In₂S₃, which may be ascribed to the microstructure evolution of GeS₂–In₂S₃ glasses. It is deduced that the intrinsic Ge(In)S₄] tetrahedral structure units that possess the high hyperpolarizability may do great contribution to the enhancement of third-order optical nonlinearity while S₃Ge–GeS₃] ethane-like molecular units make no considerable contribution to that in femtosecond time scale. These GeS₂–In₂S₃ and GeS₂–In₂S₃-based chalcogenide glasses would be expected to be the promising materials for all-optical switching devices.