Nonlinear-optical switching in gold nanoparticles driven by magneto-optical effects exhibited by carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Herein is addresses the application of attractive and large magnetization of carbon nanotubes for modulating optical signals. A cascade system based on multiwall carbon nanotubes in thin film form and Au nanoparticles embedded in a TiO2 thin solid film were combined to achieve a nonlinear magneto-optical switching action. An all-optical switching device rising from an optical Kerr effect in the second stage is proposed to transmit a magneto-optical signal from the first stage. Multiwall carbon nanotubes with large magnetic sensitivity were incorporated in the arm of a Michelson interferometer to promote a change in the refractive index due to the Aharonov-Bohm effect. The Michelson interferometer was monitoring magneto-optical processes by a 532 nm wavelength. The second stage was recorded with a 532 nm nanosecond two-wave mixing configuration testing Au nanoparticles embedded in a TiO2 thin film. The development of simultaneous all-optical and magneto-optical systems is attractive since multifunctional quantum operations can be contemplated to be performed in low-dimensional platforms. In this paper is proposed a switching device that exploits interferometry for detecting magnetic signals and optical Kerr gating with the advantages of distinct nanostructures.