Nonlinear optical response of silver and copper nanoparticles in the near-ultraviolet spectral range

Abstract

The nonlinear optical response of silver and copper nanoparticles synthesized by ion implantation in silica glasses is studied in the near-ultraviolet spectral range at a wavelength of 354.7 nm. The real and imaginary parts of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) of composite materials are measured. It is shown that the quantity Imχ(3) is due to saturated absorption, while Reχ(3) is due to the self-defocusing effect in composite materials.