Optical limiting properties of zinc phthalocyanines in solution and solid PMMA composite films

The nonlinear absorption and optical limiting (OL) performance of tetra- and octasubstituted zinc phthalocyanine complexes were described in solution and in the solid state using the open-aperture Z-scan technique. The measurements were performed using collimated 4 ns pulses generated from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm wavelength. The polymeric films exhibit a much larger effective nonlinear absorption coefficient in comparison with solution. However, the parameters of the ratio of the excited to ground state absorption cross section and energy-dependent saturation in solution are much better compared to properties in the polymeric film. In terms of the ratio of the excited to ground state absorption cross section, the peripherally substituted complexes show better OL performance than the non-peripherally substituted derivative.     

3,3′-Benzene-1,4-diylbis[1-(substituted)phenylprop-2-en-1-one] derivatives: A new class of materials for third-order nonlinear optical applications

We have investigated the third-order nonlinear optical parameters of Bischalcones embedded in DMF solution and in solid PMMA matrix, by Z-scan technique using nanosecond laser pulse trains at 532 nm. Z-scan results reveal that the Bischalcones exhibits negative nonlinear refractive index as high as 10⁻¹¹ esu. The molecular two-photon absorption cross-section of Bischalcones were of the order 10⁻⁴⁶ cm⁴ s/photon, which is nearly two orders of magnitude larger than that of Rhodamine 6G which is 10⁻⁴⁸ - 10⁻⁵⁰ cm⁴ s/photon. We found that, the two-photon absorption (TPA) is the dominating nonlinear process leading to nonlinear absorption in both the cases in solution and as well as in solid medium. Based on TPA process, the Bischalcones exhibit good optical power limiting of nanosecond laser pulses at the input wavelength. The nonlinear optical parameters found to increase on enhancing the strength of the electron donor groups indicating the dependence and importance of electron donor/acceptor units on third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ⁽³⁾.     

The importance of solvent properties for optical limiting of carbon nanotube dispersions

The optical limiting performances of single-walled carbon nanotube dispersions in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone were enhanced significantly by blending a range of organic solvents or by increasing the temperature of the dispersions up to 100 °C. While both nanotube bundle size and various solvent parameters have an influence on the optical limiting responses, we verified experimentally that the surface tension of the solvent plays a more important role than the viscosity or boiling point; the appropriate solvent properties contribute to the nonlinear scattering dominated optical limiting phenomenon more than the bundle size.     

Optical limiting properties of CdS nanowires

Intensity-dependent nonlinear optical transmission studies of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanowires (∼ 50-100 nm diameter) suspended in dimethylformamide have been carried out in the visible region using the Z-scan technique with 7 ns pulses from the second harmonic of an Nd:YAG laser. The optical limiting threshold of CdS nanowires suspension was determined to be 1.3 J cm^− 2, with normalized transmittance of 0.47, which is relatively lower when compared with those of many popular metal nanowire suspensions reported in the literature. Based on an effective three-photon absorption model, nonlinear absorption and nonlinear scattering were identified as the dominant processes for the measured reduced transmittance.     

Influence of different stabilizers on the optical and nonlinear optical properties of CdTe nanoparticles

CdTe semiconductor nanocrystals were synthesized with three different stabilizers: Mercaptoacetic Acid (MAA), Mercaptopropionic Acid (MPA) and 2-Mercaptoethanol (ME) at pH ≈ 11.2 by wet chemical route using potassium tellurite and cadmium chloride as starting materials. The effect of capping agent on the preparation of these samples was evaluated using UV-Visible absorption and photoluminescence analysis. With the same reaction time but with different stabilizers, nanocrystals of different diameters were obtained. The average full width at half maximum of the photoluminescence spectra was about 69 nm which indicates that the monodispersity was quite good. The particle size was calculated by Debye-Scherrer equation from XRD data. Further characterization studies such as FT-IR and optical nonlinearity studies on the samples were carried out and the results are discussed.     

强非线性吸收下高斯光束Z-扫描衍射理论模型

 摘要：在同时考虑非线性折射和非线性吸收的情况下，借助光的衍射理论，研究了Z-扫描技术的衍射理论模型，分析了非线性折射和非线性吸收同时存在时Z-扫描曲线的形状特征和变化规律。数值计算表明，非线性吸收相移和非线性折射相移的比值是影响接收小孔输出光功率的重要因素。要想得到好的光限幅效果，应选取非线性相移比值远小于1或远大于2的非线性材料。     

Nonlinear optical studies of 1-3-diaryl-propenones containing 4-methylthiophenyl moieties

The third-order nonlinear optical properties of chalcone derivatives have been studied using the single beam Z-scan technique. The dependence of χ⁽³⁾ on different donor and acceptor type substituents demonstrates the electronic nonlinearity of compounds. The largest value of nonlinear refractive index, n₂, measured for a high electron donor substituted molecule is −2.033 × 10⁻¹¹ esu. These molecules exhibit a strong two-photon absorption and interesting optical limiting of nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm.     

Investigation of the nonlinear absorption and optical limiting properties of two [Q]2[Cu(C3S5)2] compounds

The nonlinear absorption properties of two organometallic compounds, [(C₂H₅)₄N]₂[Cu(C₃S₅)₂] (DCu1) and [(C₄H₉)₄N]₂[Cu(C₃S₅)₂] (DCu2), have been investigated using an open-aperture Z-scan technique at 1064 nm with 40 ps pulse width and at 1053 nm with 18 ns pulse width. The reverse saturable absorption (RSA) which was observed in both samples with nanosecond pulse excitation was much larger than that observed with picosecond pulse excitation. The nonlinear absorption properties were analyzed theoretically by a five-level model. Optical limiting based on RSA was performed and limiting thresholds were evaluated for both samples under three conditions. DCu1 exhibited the better limiting characteristics because of its stronger RSA response.     

Thermally induced nonlinear optical response and optical power limiting of acid blue 40 dye

We report the investigations of thermally induced third-order nonlinear optical and optical limiting characterizations for various concentrations of acid blue 40 dye in N,N-Dimethyl Formamide, studied by employing z-scan technique under cw He–Ne laser irradiation at 633 nm wavelength. The samples exhibited nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction under the experimental conditions. For lower concentration, the samples display both saturable absorption (SA) and reverse saturable absorption (RSA); whereas with increase in concentration, RSA behaviour prevails. The estimated values of the effective coefficients of nonlinear absorption β_eff, nonlinear refraction n₂ and third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ were found to be of the order of 10^?2 cm/W, 10^?4 esu and 10^?6 esu respectively. Multiple diffraction rings were observed when the samples were exposed to laser beam due to refractive index change and thermal lensing. The effect of concentration and the laser intensity on the self-diffraction ring patterns was studied experimentally. The acid blue 40 dye also exhibited strong optical limiting properties under cw excitation and reverse saturable absorption is found to be the dominant nonlinear optical process leading to the observed nonlinear behaviour.     

Synthesis, characterization and studies on the nonlinear optical parameters of hydrazones

Three hydrazones, 2-(4-methylphenoxy)-N′-[(1E)-(4-nitrophenyl)methylene]acetohydrazide (compound-1), 2-(4-methylphenoxy)-N′-[(1E)-(4-methylphenyl)methylene]acetohydrazide ((compound-2) and N′-{(1E)-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]methylene}-2-(4-ethylphenoxy) acetohydrazide(compound-3) were synthesized and their third order nonlinear optical properties were investigated using a single beam z-scan technique with nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm. Open aperture data obtained from the three compounds indicates two photon absorption at this wavelength. The nonlinear refractive index n₂, the nonlinear absorption coefficient β, the magnitude of the effective third order susceptibility χ⁽³⁾, the second order hyperpolarizability γ_h and the coupling factor ρ have been estimated. The values obtained are comparable with the values obtained for 4-methoxy chalcone derivatives and dibenzylidene acetone derivatives. Among the compounds studied, compounds-1 and 3 exhibited the better optical power limiting behaviour at 532 nm. Our studies suggest that compounds-1, 2 and 3 are potential candidates for optical device applications such as optical limiters and optical switches.     

Trimeric metallo-phthalocyanines with good performances for nanosecond optical limiting in solution

Optical limiting (OL) performances of two trimeric metallo-phthalocyanines namely, 2,4,6-tris[2-oxa-9,10,16,17,23,24-hexa(hexylthio) phthalocyaninato M(II)]-s-triazine (M = Zn for compound ZnPc and Cu for compound CuPc) were investigated by using the Z-scan technique. The measurements were performed using collimated 4 ns pulses generated from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm wavelength. OL parameters of the ratio of the excited state to ground state absorption cross-sections κ, the effective non-linear absorption coefficient β_eff, the linear absorption coefficient α₀, limiting threshold F_th and the saturation density or energy density F_sat values were determined for the investigated compounds. The results indicated that both compounds exhibited good OL performances. ZnPc shows slightly better OL parameters than that of CuPc.     

Third-order nonlinear optical properties of silver nanoparticles mediated by chitosan

Silver nanoparticles in chitosan medium were prepared by the chemical reduction method. Silver nitrate and hydrazine were used as the precursor and reducing agent in the present of chitosan as a natural host polymer. The samples are characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The measurements of nonlinear optical properties were defined by Z-scan technique using green CW laser beam operated at 532 nm wavelengths. Thermal effect has a dominant role in the overall material nonlinearity with CW laser. It is shown that the synthesized samples have a negative nonlinear refractive index.     

Nonlinear responses and optical limiting behavior of fast green FCF dye under a low power CW He-Ne laser irradiation

The nonlinear responses and optical limiting performance of a dye type acid, called fast green FCF, are investigated under irradiation of 35 mW continuous wave He-Ne Laser. The second order refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient are measured by use of z-Scan technique. The optical limiting behavior is investigated by transmission measurement through the sample. Linear absorption coefficient (α), nonlinear absorption coefficient (β) and second order refractive index (n₂) of fast green FCF are measured at different concentrations.     

Investigation of third-order nonlinear optical properties of conjugated benzodioxal derivatives

An investigation of third-order nonlinear optical characterization of newly synthesized conjugated benzodioxal derivatives has been done by using nanosecond Z-scan technique at 532 nm. The molecules demonstrate self-defocusing effect with intensity dependent refractive index (n₂) of the order of 10⁻¹⁴ cm²/W. The measured molecular TPA cross-section is ranging from 2.47 ×10⁻⁴⁷ cm⁴ s/photon to 6.00 cm⁴ s/photon. Their input-output curves indicate that there is a clear optical power limiting behavior with the limiting threshold in the range 125-181 μJ. The main factor to exhibit the observed nonlinearity in these molecules is the presence of charge donor and acceptor groups. The increased conjugation length increases the nonlinear refraction and increased electron density enhances the nonlinear absorption. The molecules exhibit good nonlinear optical properties, comparable to those of regular azoaromatic compounds. Therefore, the molecules investigated here are promising candidates for optical power limiting devices.     

Sum-frequency mixing of optical vortices in nonlinear crystals

Results of theoretical and experimental investigation of the influence of walk-off on sum-frequency mixing of optical vortices in nonlinear crystals are presented. Various phenomena of vortex interaction such as decay of higher order vortices into singly charged vortices, formation of aligned arrays of vortices perpendicular to walk-off direction, particle-like pulling and pushing of vortices, and appearance of pairs of vortices having opposite charges were observed.     

Optical limiting response by embedding copper phthalocyanine into polymer host

The multilayer film of PMMA containing mononuclear octakis(mercaptopropylisobutyl-POSS) substituted phthalocyaninato-copper (CuPc) was obtained by spin-coating on quartz substrate. The nonlinear absorption and optical limiting (OL) performance of CuPc have been described using the open-aperture Z-scan technique. The measurements were performed using collimated 4 ns pulses generated from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm wavelength. The results indicate that CuPc/PMMA composite exhibits a much larger nonlinear absorption coefficient, a lower saturable fluence and a lower absorption cross-section ratio for optical limiting when compared to the same CuPc molecules in solution. No evidence of film fatigue or degradation was observed in the CuPc/PMMA film after numerous scans at varying laser intensity. This material is a good candidate for optical limiting applications.     

All optical self signal processing using chalcogenide nonlinear fiber Bragg grating

In this study, we simulate numerically quasi pulse propagation in a uniform nonlinear fiber Bragg grating (FBG) made of chalcogenide glasses. Because of bistability and nonlinearity behavior of FBG, the shapes of output pulse vary abruptly and strongly according to the input peak intensity. We take Gaussian pulse as input and produce saw-tooth wave and square wave in the output by suitable input amplitude and FBG length also we could reach pulse chopping and pulse compression. These all optical signal processing achieved for a few length, i.e. 6.6 mm and few intensity, i.e. 35 W/m² because of high nonlinearity of chalcogenide glasses.     

Probing interfacial properties by optical second-harmonic generation

Optical second-harmonic generation from surfaces has recently proven to be a very effective and versatile probe for surface studies. It allows, among other things, direct probing of molecular adsorption on a solid substrate from a liquid. In this paper we review the most important features of this new technique. We discuss the possibility of applying it to the study of adsorption of ionic surfactants at solid–liquid interfaces, commonly used in a great number of scientific and technological fields including industrial applications. Moreover, we describe the preliminary results of an experiment currently in progress.     

Third-order nonlinear optical properties of graphene composites: A review

Graphene has excellent thirdorder nonlinear optical (NLO) properties due to its unique electronic band structure and wideband gap tunability. This paper focuses on the research progress of graphene and its composite materials in nonlinear optics in recent years. In this review, recent results on graphene (or graphene oxide)-metal nanoparticles (G-MNPs), graphene-metal-oxide nanoparticles (G-MONPs), graphene-metal sulfide nanoparticles (G-MSNPs), and graphene-organic molecular composites (G-OM) have been discussed. In addition, the enhancement mechanism of nonlinear absorption (NLA) and optical limiting (OL) have also been covered.