The nonlinear optical response of new organometallic compounds under picosecond excitation

The nonlinear optical response of three new organometallic compounds was studied by z-scan method under picosecond excitation at 1064 and 532 nm. The compounds showed self-focus effect at both wavelengths, and effective reverse saturation absorption at 532 nm and strong two-photon absorption at 1064 nm occurred. Through calculating and comparing the nonlinear optical indexes of the compounds, we found that the third-order nonlinear susceptibility was enhanced by two-fold for one photon transition resonant effect, and incorporating different heavy metal atoms in the delocalized organic system slightly influenced the nonlinear optical indexes.     

Nonlinear optical properties of an azo-based dye irradiated by picosecond and nanosecond laser pulses

The nonlinear optical properties of an azo-based dye were investigated using Z-scan technique employing 38 ps pulses at 532 and 1064 nm, and 6 ns laser pulses at 532 nm. Large nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction were observed at both ps and ns 532 nm in the azoic dye. When excited at ps 1064 nm, this dye displayed a large two-photon absorption cross-section (σ₂=1810 GM). Meanwhile, the optical nonlinearity mechanism was discussed in terms of molecular structure, excitation wavelength, and pulse width.     

Nonlinear optical parameters and optical limitation in cobalt-doped polyvinylpyrrolidone solutions

Nonlinear optical parameters (nonlinear refractive indices and nonlinear absorption coefficients) of solutions of polyvinylpyrrolidone doped by cobalt to various concentrations are measured at the lasing and second-harmonic wavelengths of a picosecond Nd:YAG laser (λ=1064 and 532 nm, respectively, and τ=35 ps). Data on optical limitation in these solutions are presented. The absence of nonlinear absorption in the IR spectral range and its significant effect in the visible range are demonstrated. Optical limitation at a wavelength of 1064 nm is related to defocusing, whereas at 532 nm, this effect is caused by two-photon absorption and partially by inverse saturated absorption and defocusing. Nonlinear optical parameters of metal-polymer complexes are reported.     

Nonlinear optical properties of [（CH3）4N]Au（dmit）2 using Z-scan technique

The third-order optical nonlinearities of [（CH3）4N]Au（dmit）2 （dmit = 4,5-dithiolate-1,3-dithiole-2-thione） at 532 nm and 1064 nm are investigated using the Z-scan technique with pulses of picoseconds duration. The Z-scan spectra reveal a strong nonlinear absorption （reverse saturable absorption） and a negative nonlinear refraction at 532 nm. No nonlinear absorption is observed at 1064 nm. The molecular second-order hyperpolarizability γ for the [（CH3）4N]Au（dmit）2 molecule at 532nm is estimated to be as high as （2.1 ±0.1） × 10^-31 esu, which is nearly three times larger than that at 1064 nm. The mechanism responsible for the difference between the results is analysed. Nonlinear transmission measurements suggest that this material has potential applications in optical limiting.     

Enhanced Fluorescence of Graphene Oxide by Well-Controlled Au@SiO2 Core-Shell Nanoparticles

Graphene and graphene derivatives, including graphene oxide (GO) and reduced GO (rGO), have attracted remarkable attention in different fields due to their unique electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties, whereas the fluorescence property is rarely been studied. This paper reports on metal-enhanced fluorescence Au@SiO₂ composite nanoparticles adsorbed graphene oxide nanosheets, where the silica-shell is used to control the distance between gold-core and fluorophore GO, and a positively charged polyelectrolyte poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) is used to adsorb the negatively charged silica-shell and GO by layer-by-layer assembly (LbL) approach. The silica-shell around the 80 nm gold-core can be well-controlled by ending the reaction at different times. Various analytical techniques were applied to characterize the morphology and optical characters of the as-prepared particles. A more than three-fold increase of the fluorescence intensity of GO was obtained.     

Z-scan studies and optical limiting of nanosecond laser pulses in neutral red dye

The nonlinear optical absorption, refraction and optical limiting behaviour of an organic dye, neutral red, were investigated under excitation with nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm. The nonlinear optical responses of the material were studied both in solution and solid film, made in methanol and polyvinyl alcohol, respectively, using single-beam Z-scan technique. The open aperture Z-scans of the solution samples displayed a switch over from saturable absorption to enhanced absorption with increase in input intensity. Theoretical fit to the experimental data indicated that the dominant mechanism of nonlinear absorption is two-photon absorption. The closed aperture Z-scans of both the samples denoted positive nonlinearity, which was three orders larger in magnitude in solid film, compared with that in solution. The results of optical limiting experiments revealed that neutral red exhibited strong optical limiting of nanosecond laser pulses with a threshold lower than that of C₆₀ in toluene.     

Nonresonant and Resonant Nonlinear Absorption of CdSe-Based Nanoplatelets

We present a comprehensive understanding of the nonlinear absorption characteristics of CdSe-based nanoplatelets(NPLs) synthesized by the solution-phase method and the colloidal atomic layer deposition approach through Z-scan techniques at 532 nm with picosecond pulses. The CdSe NPLs exhibit strong two-photon induced free carrier absorption(effective three-photon absorption) upon the nonresonant excitation, resulting in a remarkable optical limiting behavior with the limiting threshold of approximately 75 GW/cm~2. A nonlinear optical switching from saturable absorption(SA) to reverse saturable absorption(RSA) with increasing the laser intensity is observed when coating CdSe NPLs with a monolayer of CdS shell to realize the resonant absorption. The SA behavior originates from the ground state bleaching and the RSA behavior is attributed to the free carrier absorption.These findings explicitly demonstrate the potential applications of CdSe-based NPLs in nonlinear optoelectronics such as optical limiting devices, optical pulse compressors and optical switching devices.     

Z-scan study of optical nonlinearities in two fullerene derivatives

The third-order nonlinear optical properties of two fullerene derivatives under picosecond laser excitation have been investigated by Z-scan technique. The experimental results reveal that all the derivatives have very large nonlinear absorption coefficient under 532 nm pulses excitation and great third-order nonlinear refraction index under 1064 nm pulses excitation. The molecular second hyperpolarizabilities have been obtained from the experimental results.     

Third-order nonlinear optical response of silicon nanostructures dispersed in organic solvent under 1064 nm and 532 nm laser excitations

Silicon nanostructures are dispersed into an organic solvent and the third order optical properties of the system are studied by z-scan technique under 1064 nm and 532 nm excitations. The experiment results show that the silicon nanostructures exhibit self-focus and saturable absorption with both excitation wavelengths. Nonlinear absorption results suggest that a new optical bleaching band exists under 532 nm excitation, and a two-step mechanism is tentatively put forward to explain the saturable absorption under 1064 nm excitation.     

Nonlinear Optical Properties of Novel C60 Derivatives under Picosecond Laser Excitation

We investigate the third-order nonlinear optical properties of six novel fullerene derivatives under picosecond laser excitation by Z-scan technique. The experimental results reveal that all the derivatives have very large nonlinear absorption coefficient under 532 nm pulses excitation and great third-order nonlinear refraction index under 1064 nm pulses excitation. The molecular second hyperpolarizabilities are obtained from the experimental results.     

Nonlinear optical characteristics of colloidal solutions of metals

Results of the study of nonlinear optical parameters of colloidal solutions of silver, gold, platinum, and copper by the Z-scan method are presented. The nonlinear refractive indices of these solutions at the wavelength of the Nd:YAG laser (λ=1064 nm) and its second harmonic (λ=532 nm) were measured. The two-photon absorption of these solutions and their nonlinear susceptibilities were studied.     

Third-order nonlinear optical properties in [(C4H9)4N]2[Cu(C3S5)2]-doped PMMA thin film using Z-scan technique in picosecond pulse

An organometallic complex, [(C₄H₉)₄N]₂[Cu(C₃S₅)₂], abbreviated as BuCu, was synthesized. Then the BuCu-doped polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin film with a doping concentration 1% by weight (1 wt.%) was fabricated using a spin-coating method and its third-order nonlinear optical properties were characterized using the Z-scan technique with 20 ps pulse duration at 532 and 1064 nm, respectively. The Z-scan curves have revealed that the material exhibits a self-defocusing effect at both wavelengths. Saturable absorption at 532 nm and two-photon absorption at 1064 nm were also found, respectively. Additionally, the calculated results of the material in film were compared with that of acetone solution, which indicated that the values in film were larger than that of acetone solution for about two orders in magnitude. The origins were analyzed of the difference between the two wavelengths. Our results suggest that considerable nonlinear optical properties were confirmed in BuCu-doped PMMA film. The material can easily be doped into PMMA film and forms a waveguide mode. So this material should be considered to be manufactured into devices and applied in all-optical switching, laser locking-mode, optical limiting fields etc.     

Fluorescence Study of DNA–Dye Complexes Using One-Photon and Two-Photon Picosecond Excitation

Preliminary results of investigation of one-photon- and two-photon-induced fluorescence of acridine orange (AO), epirubicin (ER), hypericin (HYP), and ethidium bromide (EB) in complexes with DNA are presented. A spectrofluorometer based on a picosecond Nd:YAG laser was used for investigations of two-photon (1064-nm, 1-mJ, 40-ps) and one-photon (532- and 355-nm) dye excitation. The spectra of two-photon-induced fluorescence of dyes and their complexes with DNA as well as the kinetics of dyes' fluorescence intensification during their interactions with DNA in dependence on the biomacromolecule concentration were obtained. The intensities of AO, HYP, and EB fluorescence were increased 2.4, 3.2, and 8 times, respectively, after binding with DNA at two-photon excitation, while at one-photon excitation the corresponding values were 2.5, 3.7, and 10 times. The difference in fluorescence enhancement during DNA–dye complex formation at linear and nonlinear excitation may possibly be associated with the fact that the cross sections of one-photon and two-photon absorption, in general, change unequally during the binding of dyes to organic molecules and bathocromic shift of the electronic transitions. It was shown that the peak of AO fluorescence shifted to a longer wavelength on 10 nm after two-photon excitation at 1064 nm in comparison with one-photon excitation at 532 nm.     

Effects of green laser fluence on the characteristics of graphene nanosheets synthesized by laser ablation method in liquid nitrogen medium

We have studied the effects of laser fluence on the characteristics of graphene nanosheets produced by pulsed laser ablation technique. In this work, The second harmonic of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm wavelength and 5 Hz repetition rate with different laser fluences in the range of 0.5–1.8 J/cm² was used to irradiate the graphite target in liquid nitrogen medium. The products of ablation were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern, UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectrum and transmission electron microscopy. The Raman spectroscopy indicates that the quality of the graphene nanosheets was decreased while their structure defects were increased as the laser fluence was increased from 0.5 to 1.4 J/cm². Our results suggest that the amount of defects and the number of layers in graphene nanosheets can be changed by adjusting the laser fluence. This study could be a useful guidance for producing of high quality of graphene nanosheets by laser ablation method.     

Optical limiting action of C60 doped poly(ethylacetylenecarboxylate)

The optical limiting action of C₆₀ doped poly(ethylacetylenecarboxylate) polymer has been carried out using Pulse Nd-YAG laser at 532 nm as the source of excitation. The optical limiting measurements were performed at three different doping concentrations. The optical limiting efficiency of the C₆₀ doped poly(ethylacetylenecarboxylate) polymer was studied at various doping concentrations, the threshold limiting fluence at 0.15 J/cm² was observed with transmission of about 89%. An explanation based on the combination of two-photon absorption and reverse saturable absorption was proposed for its nonlinear optical absorption behavior.     

Ultrafast carrier dynamics of Cu2O thin film induced by two-photon excitation

Cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) has attracted plenty of attention for potential nonlinear photonic applications due to its superior third-order nonlinear optical property such as two-photon absorption. In this paper, we investigated the two-photon excitation induced carrier dynamics of a Cu₂O thin film prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, using the femtosecond transient absorption experiments. Biexponential dynamics including an ultrafast carrier scattering (< 1 ps) followed by a carrier recombination (> 50 ps) were observed. The time constant of carrier scattering under two-photon excitation is larger than that under one-photon excitation, due to the different transition selection rules and smaller absorption coefficient of the two-photon excitation.     

Wavelength dependent resonant nonlinearities in a standard saturable absorber IR26 on picosecond time scale

Nonlinear optical properties of a standard dye IR26 have been studied by using the Z-scan technique to decipher the difference in the mechanism of nonlinear absorption on picosecond time scale at two wavelengths i.e. at 1064 nm and 532 nm. A prominent contribution of nonlinear absorption is observed in the Z-scan profiles at 1064 nm. The dye exhibits the mechanism of self-defocusing at 1064 nm in contrast to that of self-focusing at 532 nm. While the two photon absorption has been found to be the dominant mechanism of reverse saturable absorption at 1064 nm, the mechanism of excited state absorption is operating at 532 nm. Additionally, the optical phase conjugate geometry of degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM) technique has been used to measure the third order nonlinear susceptibility values at 532 nm to compare with those obtained from the Z-scan profiles.     

Nonlinear Optical Absorption in GaSe upon Laser Excitation

Optics and Spectroscopy - The nonlinear absorption in GaSe crystals at high optical excitation levels is experimentally studied. A Nd:YAG laser (first and second harmonics, 1064 and 532 nm) and a...     

一种新型有机染料的宽带双光子吸收和光限幅特性的研究

研究了一种新型双共轭链有机染料分子的双光子吸收（TPA）及其光功率限幅特性，实验研究了该有机染料的双光子吸收谱和光功率限幅曲线. 结果证实在浓度为1×10^-2 mol/L的四氢呋喃（THF）溶液中，该有机染料在近红外区有宽达400nm的宽带非线性双光子吸收及光功率限幅特性. 它的双光子吸收谱存在三个峰，分别位于730，850和980nm，并且在850nm处有最大的TPA截面，为σ′₂＝25.9×10^-47　cm^{4·s 关键词： 宽带 双光子吸收 光限幅 双共轭链有机分子}     

In situ growth of ultrashort rice-like CuO nanorods supported on reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and their lithium storage performance

A facile refluxing strategy in aqueous solution was engaged to synthesize ultrashort rice-like CuO nanorods/reduced graphene oxide (CuO-NRs/rGO) composite. The result of the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows that the as-synthesized rice-like CuO nanorods have a uniform size of about 8 nm in width and 28 nm in length and are homogenously dispersed on rGO nanosheets. The CuO nanorods are uniformly dispersed and immobilized by the graphene nanosheets reduced from GO. The resultant CuO-NRs/rGO composite as anode material for lithium-ion batteries displays better electrochemical properties than those of pure CuO-NRs and rGO nanosheets. The high reversible capacity and good stability can be ascribed to the presence of rGO nanosheets.