Optical power limiting and stabilization based on a novel polymer compound

Abstract

Optical power limiting and stabilization based on the two-photon absorption (TPA) mechanism is performed in a polymer solution excited by /spl sim/810 nm and /spl sim/7-ns laser pulses. The solute is a novel polymer, a poly(2,5-dialkoxy-p-phenylene ethynylene) derivative (EBO-OPPE). Using 1-cm path-length EHO-OPPE solution in chloroform of d/sub 0/=0.03 mol of repeat unit/liter as the nonlinear absorptive medium, the dynamic transmission changes from T=0.92 to 0.28 when the input intensity of the /spl sim/810-nm laser beam is increased from I/sub 0/=15 to 600 MW/cm/sup 2/. The measured nonlinear absorption coefficient is 14.5 cm/GW. Optical power stabilization is demonstrated at an average input intensity level of I/sub 0//spl ap/400 MW/cm/sup 2/ with a /spl Delta//spl ap//spl plusmn/25% peak-power fluctuation of the laser pulse. After passing through the nonlinear medium, the output peak-power fluctuation is reduced to /spl Delta//spl ap//spl plusmn/8%. The spectral-width effect of the input laser beam on the nonlinear absorption of the EHO-OPPE solution is investigated. For three different spectral structures of the input laser beam (single narrow spectral line, multiple spectral lines, and broad spectral band), measured values of TPA cross section for EHO-OPPE are /spl sigma//sub 2/=66, 80, and 101/spl times/10/sup -20/ cm/sup 4//GW, respectively. This means that EHO-OPPE is one of the best known nonlinear absorptive materials for power limiting purposes.