Abstract
The nonlinear optical properties of the aqueous solutions of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) prepared by chemical reduction method are analyzed using femtosecond and picosecond pulses at different wavelengths. In the case of 800 and 400 nm, the growths of nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction with the increase of Ag NP concentration, as well as a change at the signs of nonlinear optical processes, are determined. The nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index of Ag NP solutions measured using picosecond pulses were a few orders of magnitude larger than those in the case of femtosecond probe pulses. We also demonstrate the optical limiting properties of Ag NPs using 800 nm, 60 fs pulses.
Highlights
Metal nanoparticles (NPs) have unique properties allowing applications in mechanics, catalysis, magnetism, optics, electricity, new material development, and heat physics, due to their morphology and size effects [1,2,3,4,5]
The low and high concentration Ag NP solutions were prepared by similar chemical method
In the case of low concentration, even at significantly (6 to 8 times) reduced intensity in the focal plane, the nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index measured at λ = 400 nm were higher than those measured at the 800 nm wavelength
Summary
Metal nanoparticles (NPs) have unique properties allowing applications in mechanics, catalysis, magnetism, optics, electricity, new material development, and heat physics, due to their morphology and size effects [1,2,3,4,5]. There are experimental studies showing that particle size, morphology, and surrounding medium of noble metal NPs have great influence on their nonlinear optical properties [20,21,22,23]. The change of incident intensity of a probe laser pulse can cause the variation of nonlinear optical properties, such as the shift from SA to reverse saturable absorption (RSA) [24, 25]. To the best of our knowledge, there are no systematic studies reported on the optical limitation, the influence of different concentrations of Ag NPs in liquids, and the effects of laser pulse duration, wavelength, and repetition rate on their nonlinear optical properties. We present our optical limiting and pump-probe studies of these NP solutions
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