Third-order Nonlinear Susceptibility Research Articles

Silver Nanoplate Composites as Nonlinear Saturable Absorbers for a Q-Switched Laser

Metal nanomaterials have promising applications in ultrafast photonics due to their broadband operation, large third-order nonlinear susceptibility, and ultrafast recovery time. We realized a Q-switched pulsed erbium-doped fiber laser based on a silver nanoplate polyvinyl alcohol film as a saturable absorber. This film, with a modulation depth of 15.7%, was integrated into a fiber laser by means of a sandwich structure. We obtained Q-switched pulses in the 1.5-μm band, which plays an important role in telecommunications and atmospheric detection. Stable Q-switched pulses were obtained at the pump power of 135 mW, with a single pulse energy of 33.8 nJ, a pulse width of 2.3 μs, a repetition rate of 62.4 kHz, and a signal-to-noise ratio of about 45 dB. When increasing the pump power up to a maximum value of 246 mW, the maximum single pulse energy of 57.8 nJ was achieved. This study first demonstrates the potential of silver nanoplates as saturable absorbers in generating stable laser pulses with high energy.

Molecular structure and third-order non-linear optical properties of two novel tetralone-based chalcone derivatives: Promising materials for optical limiting applications

Two novel tetralone-based chalcone derivatives (2E)-2-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene]-3,4-dihydro-2H-napthalen-1-one (DMDN) and (2E)-2-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene]-6-methoxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-napthalen-1-one (DM6MDN) have been synthesized via a Claisen–Schmidt condensation reaction. Single crystals were obtained using a slow evaporation solution growth method. Structural characterization was carried out using single crystal X-ray diffraction study. Non-centrosymmetric DMDN crystallized in the orthorhombic system with a P212121 space group. Centrosymmetric DM6MDN crystallized in the monoclinic system with a P21/c space group. Hirshfield analysis of both crystals revealed the existence of C–H···π and π···π interactions, which play an important role in creating supramolecular structures. Our TG-DSC study revealed that DM6MDN has higher thermal stability than DMDN. The linear absorption coefficient of DMDN and DM6MDN were calculated from our UV spectral analysis and their respective optical band gaps were calculated to be 2.88 and 3.05 eV, respectively. The photoluminescence spectra show emission peaks in the blue region. DMDN exhibits SHG activity and a large β value when compared to DM6MDN. The third-order NLO properties of the chalcone derivatives was investigated using the Z-scan technique. The obtained crystals show strong non-linear absorption (NLA) and negative non-linear refraction (NLR) for DMDN and a positive NLR for DM6MDN. The third-order non-linear susceptibility (χ(3)) was of the order 10−7 esu. DMDN and DM6MDN also exhibit optical limiting (OL) and optical switching behavior under continuous wave excitation. The static NLO parameters, such as dipole moment (μ), polarizability (α) and first order hyperpolarizability (β), were computed using the B3LYP/6–31++G(d,p) level of theory. The Donor-π-Acceptor-π-Donor (D-π-A-π -D) system of DMDN and DM6MDN also makes them promising materials for NLO applications.

Bromine Substitution Effect on Structure, Reactivity, and Linear and Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Properties of 2,3-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde.

The structural and electronic properties of 2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (2,3-DMB), 5-bromo-2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (5-BRB), and 6-bromo-2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (6-BRB) were extensively discussed with emphasis on linear and nonlinear optical responses. The intermolecular interactions were comparatively studied by Hirshfeld surfaces, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), and natural bond orbitals (NBOs), indicating that bromine substitution decreases the H···H and C···H contacts and increases H···Br and Br···Br closed-shell interactions on crystalline arrangements. The frontier molecular orbitals and molecular electrostatic potential map, carried out at the CAM-B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory, showed that the kinetic stability occurs in the increasing order 6-BRB < 5-BRB < 2.3-DMB. The bromine atom has a beneficial effect on the nonlinear third-order susceptibility of 2,3-DMB, with theoretical predictions of 89.54 ×10-22 and 83.15 ×10-22 (m/V)2 for 6-BRB and 5-BRB, respectively. These findings were favorably compared with available theoretical and experimental data of other organic crystals that may be promising as NLO materials.

Linear and nonlinear optical properties of Bi12GeO20 single crystal for optoelectronic applications

The present paper aims at presenting linear and nonlinear optical properties of Bi12GeO20 single crystals grown by Czochralski method. Transmission and reflection measurements were performed in the 400–1000 nm region. The recorded spectra were analyzed considering well-known optical models. Spectral dependencies of absorption coefficient, skin depth, refractive index, real and imaginary components of dielectric function were presented. The analyses performed on absorption coefficient showed direct bandgap and Urbach energies as 2.56 and 0.22 eV, respectively. The first- and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities and nonlinear refractive index of the crystal were also reported in the present work. The results of the present paper would provide valuable information for optoelectronic device applications of Bi12GeO20.

Wavelength dependence of nonlinear optical susceptibility of ZnSe nanocrystalline film

The present work reports the nonlinear optical susceptibility of nanocrystalline ZnSe thin films with different thicknesses, measured using third-order harmonic technology at irradiation wavelengths λ of 1200–1900 nm. The results show that the third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) of ZnSe thin films is a function of the pump wavelength and film thickness. The χ(3) values for the thinner 202-nm film generally decreased with the redshift of the wavelength and were approximately 10−20 m2/V2 at λ ≤ 1500 nm and 10−21 m2/V2 at λ > 1500 nm. The χ(3) values for the thicker 1021-nm film did not follow a decreasing trend, but instead exhibited local peaks at 1350, 1500 and 1750 nm, with a maximum value of approximately 2.4 × 10−19 m2/V2 at λ = 1750 nm. Within 1200–1900 nm, the χ(3) of the thicker film was always greater than that of the thinner film. In addition, a weak second-order harmonic at wavelengths within 1100–1300 nm was observed for the 1021 nm ZnSe thin film. The large difference in the nonlinear optical properties between the thinner and thicker film samples is conjectured to be caused by the increased density of geometric defects and the gradual formation of local anisotropy with increasing film thickness. Nonlinear optical coefficient measurements of ZnSe thin films with different thicknesses over a broad spectrum are important for the application of these films in nonlinear thin-film optoelectronic devices.

F-deformed cavity mode coupled to a Λ-type atom in the presence of dissipation and Kerr nonlinearity

In this paper, the dynamics of a system consisting of a three-level atom, which interacts with a single-mode quantized field in a lossy cavity, is studied in the presence of the dependence of atom–field coupling and third-order nonlinear susceptibility on the intensity of light. The system contains a Λ -type atom coupled to a single-mode radiation field, with a degenerate multi-photon transition in the intensity-dependent regime. Also, the nonlinearity of the medium due to Kerr and intensity-dependent Kerr effects, and the detuning parameters are considered. Furthermore, to see the effects of dissipation such as photon absorption and scattering by the cavity mirrors and spontaneous emission of the atom, a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian is introduced, which results in obtaining the state vector of the whole system by applying the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Thereupon, the dynamics of entanglement, coherence, photon statistics, and quadrature squeezing are numerically investigated. In each case, the roles of the intensity-dependent nonlinearity function, Kerr and intensity-dependent Kerr nonlinearity, different sources of dissipation, and detuning parameters are discussed. The numerical results indicate that the nonclassicality can remarkably be revealed, and can appropriately be controlled via the above-mentioned effects. It can be found that the presence of dissipation not only does not weaken the physical properties but also can enhance and protect the nonclassicality of the system.

Highly sensitive detection of broadband terahertz waves using aqueous salt solutions.

Water-based coherent detection of broadband terahertz (THz) wave has been recently proposed with superior performances, which can alleviate the limited detection bandwidth and high probe laser energy requirement in the solid- and air-based detection schemes, respectively. Here, we demonstrate that the water-based detection method can be extended to the aqueous salt solutions and the sensitivity can be significantly enhanced. The THz coherent detection signal intensity scales linearly with the third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) or quadratically with the linear refractive index η0 of the aqueous salt solutions, while the incoherent detection signal intensity scales quadratically with χ(3) or quartically with η0, proving the underlying mechanism is the four-wave mixing. Both the coherent and incoherent detection signal intensities appear positive correlation with the solution concentration. These results imply that the liquid-based THz detection scheme could provide a new technique to measure χ(3) and further investigate the physicochemical properties in the THz band for various liquids.

Optical switching in composite media containing nonlinear plasmonic coated particles with radial anisotropy

We investigate the nonlinear optical properties of the composite with identical radial-anisotropic/ nonlinear-plasmonic core-shell spherical inclusions randomly embedded in the linear medium. In the weakly-nonlinear case, the enhanced effective third-order nonlinear susceptibility is achieved through the exhibited surface plasmon resonance, and the enhanced peak can be tuned by adjusting the anisotropic parameter. In the strong-nonlinear case, the single optical bistability, double optical bistability or optical tristability in small particles will be found. Furthermore, we demonstrate the optical multistability arising from the high-order modes in low-index surrounding environment for the large particles. And the anisotropy is essential to expand the diversity of the optical switching. Our results are envisioned for the opportunities of anisotropic materials and the applications of the optical switching.

Neumann's principle based eigenvector approach for deriving non-vanishing tensor elements for nonlinear optics.

Physical properties are commonly represented by tensors, such as optical susceptibilities. The conventional approach of deriving non-vanishing tensor elements of symmetric systems relies on the intuitive consideration of positive/negative signflipping after symmetry operations, which could be tedious and prone to miscalculation. Here, we present a matrix-based approach that gives a physical picture centered on Neumann's principle. The principle states that symmetries in geometric systems are adopted by their physical properties. We mathematically apply the principle to the tensor expressions and show a procedure with clear physical intuition to derive non-vanishing tensor elements based on eigensystems. The validity of the approach is demonstrated by examples of commonly known second and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities of chiral/achiral surfaces, together with complicated scenarios involving symmetries such as D6 and Oh symmetries. We then further applied this method to higher-rank tensors that are useful for 2D and high-order spectroscopy. We also extended our approach to derive nonlinear tensor elements with magnetization, which is critical for measuring spin polarization on surfaces for quantum information technologies. A Mathematica code based on this generalized approach is included that can be applied to any symmetry and higher order nonlinear processes.

Experimental study of saturable and reverse saturable absorption of Zn nanoparticles photodeposited onto etched optical fibers

In this paper, the non-linear optical response of photodeposited zinc nanoparticles onto an etched optical fiber is reported. Through chemical etching, 20 mm of the cladding of a standard single-mode optical fiber was removed to expose its core and subsequently, photodeposit zinc nanoparticles on it at different times (1, 5 and 10 min) by using a continuous wave laser at 1550 nm. The non-linear optical response was obtained by the P-scan technique using a high-gain pulsed amplifier with a pulse duration of 10 ns at a wavelength of 1550 nm. The experimental results showed that it is possible to get the effects of reverse saturable absorption (RSA) at irradiances less than 380 MW/cm 2 and saturable absorption (SA) for higher values. Consequently, the analysis of the results obtained shows that the third-order non-linear susceptibility x3 of the RSA is 2.2130 × 10−06 (esu) for 10 min of photodeposition, which decreases for shorter photodeposition times; On the other hand, the third-order non-linear susceptibility x3 of the SA is −5.8955 × 10−07 (esu) for 10 min of photodeposition, which increases for shorter exposure times. Finally, the experimental results obtained show that it is possible to make a photonic device with desired non-linear absorption properties by the photodeposition of metallic nanoparticles onto etched fibers, which makes it ideal for applications in optical communications.

Intensity-dependent optical nonlinearities of composite materials made of ionic liquid crystal glass and bimetallic nanoparticles

ABSTRACT Although isotropic glass materials are ubiquitous in everyday life, the properties and applications of anisotropic liquid crystal glasses stable at room temperature are still insufficiently explored. In this paper, nonlinear-optical properties of unconventional glass nanocomposites made of mesogenic cadmium octanoate and bimetallic nanoparticles are reported. Two types of bimetallic nanoparticles (Ag/Au core – Au shell and Ag/Au homogeneous alloy) are synthesised utilising an ionic liquid crystal phase of cadmium octanoate as a nanoreactor. A nonlinear-optical characterisation of the studied samples is performed by means of a Z-scan technique and using nanosecond laser pulses at 1064 nm excitation wavelength. The studied nanocomposites exhibit a strong nonlinear-optical response with the magnitude of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility within a 2.81 × 10−8 - 2.19 × 10−7 esu range. The measured values of the effective nonlinear refractive indices and nonlinear absorption coefficients depend on the laser beam intensity. The physical mechanisms of the observed intensity-dependent optical nonlinearities are discussed.

High polarizability enhanced EPR, optical linear & nonlinear and electric conductivity: Role of NiFe2O4 nanocrystals in transparent tellurite glass-ceramics

Glass containing magnetic nanocrystals is attractive to obtain high nonlinear and high polarizability. In this study, for the first time, 10 nm cubic NiFe2O4 (NFO) nanocrystals doped tellurite glass was studied in terms of the influence on glass structure, chemical bonds, EPR spectra, optical linear and nonlinearity, complex impedance, and dielectric constant. X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the single phase and chemical energy of NFO NCs and NFO- doped glasses. The introduction of NFO modified the glass structure through conversion of TeO4→TeO3, and PO4→PO3 units and producing non-bridging oxygen, which in turn enhanced the polarizability according. EPR analysis revealed the super-exchange interaction between multi-valence states of Ni and Fe ions, contributing to the deformation of NFO lattice and NBO defects in the glass network. The energy band gap of glass was red-shifted by NFO due to the multi-valence states of 3d ions. In addition, the linear and nonlinear refractive index, third-order absorption coefficient, and susceptibility were significantly enhanced because of the high polarizability. 3%NFO glass demonstrated huge third-order nonlinear susceptibility of 9.37 × 10−7 esu and giant DC electric conductivity of 8.84 × 10−4 S/cm at room temperature. The values obtained in the present study were much superior to values from the literature, and the obtained glasses are promising for high ultra-fast laser, supercontinuum generation, and holography applications.

Laser radiation effect on microstructural, linear, and nonlinear optical characteristics of Sn0.04Co0.06O2 nanostructured films

The influence of He-Ne laser radiation on linear and nonlinear optical characteristics of Co-doped SnO2 (Sn0.04Co0.06O2) thin film was studied before and after irradiation. 22 mW (633 nm) He-Ne laser beam was employed to irradiate the film with different exposure times (Texpo. = 1, 2, 5, 15, 20, 40, and 60 min). As grown and irradiated films were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), an atomic force microscope (AFM) was integrated with UV-VIS–NIR spectrophotometer. XRD pattern analysis showed that the crystallite size decreased as the exposure increased to 5 min, however, a further increase in Texpo from 15 to 60 min increased the crystallite size. Analysis of AFM micrographs shows that the roughness of the surface and root mean square roughness of the film depend on the increase in the laser exposure time. The optical studies of irradiated films show that the optical energy gap Eg decreases as the exposure time increases to 5 min and then raises as the film is irradiated for up to 60 min. This reduction was attributed to the elimination of the additional oxygen from the film, and the increase of Eg is explained by the Burstein–Moss effect. Swanepoel’s envelope method is used to calculate the linear optical parameters of the irradiated film from the light transmission spectrum, such as refractive index n, and extinction coefficient k. The results reveal that the global behavior of n and k increases with exposure time. The oscillator parameters of the irradiated film of different exposure times were evaluated from the single-oscillator Wemple–DiDomenico model, which was then used to calculate the nonlinear optical parameters such as n2 the nonlinear refractive index, and χ(3) the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility. It is concluded that the He-Ne laser irradiation with different exposure times enhances the optoelectronic properties of Sn0.04Co0.06O2 nanocrystalline semiconductor thin film

Investigation of linear and nonlinear optical properties of PbWO4 single crystal

In this manuscript, PbWO4 single crystals having great importance for device applications were studied in terms of linear and nonlinear optical properties. For this purpose, transmission and reflection experiments were performed in the wavelength range of 350–1000 nm. X-ray diffraction analysis presented crystalline structure as scheelite type tetragonal. Spectral dependencies of absorption coefficient, skin depth, refractive index, dielectric function were reported. Optical band gap of the crystal was estimated as 3.25 eV from the Tauc and derivative spectral methods. Urbach, critical point, single oscillator and dispersion energies, static refractive index and dielectric constant were revealed for PbWO4 single crystal. First- and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities, and nonlinear refractive index were also computed for the studied crystal.

Enhancing the physical, optical and shielding properties for ternary Sb2O3–B2O3–K2O glasses

Ternary Sb2O3–B2O3–K2O glass system, with general composition of x Sb2O3–(70-x) B2O3–30 K2O (where x = 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) were prepared using melt-quenching technique. Structures of these glasses were investigated using XRD analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy. The optical properties were investigated using the UV–Vis NIR JASCO (Model V-670) Double Beam Spectrophotometer. Different physical parameters, such as density (ρ), molar volume (VM), oxygen molar volume (VO) and oxygen packing density values (OPD) have been estimated. Also, the Gamma radiation shielding ability have been characterized for the investigated glasses using Phy-X/PSD software in the photon energy range (0.015–15 MeV). XRD analysis confirm the amorphous nature of the prepared glasses. The optical energy gap of SBK glasses is decreasing from 4 to 2.63 eV with increasing Sb2O3 content while refractive index is increasing from 2.17 to 2.5 because of increasing the non-bridging oxygens (NBOs) in the glass matrix. The molar refractivity (Rm), molar polarizability (αm) and the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility values χ3 have been calculated, their values are found to increase with increasing Sb2O3 content. Glass density and molar volume values for the SBK glasses increase with increasing Sb2O3 content. Increasing the Sb2O3 concentration enhance the radiation shielding features of the prepared glasses against gamma rays and neutrons. Hence, the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) increases from 8.6 to 35.4 cm2/gm while the half value layer (HVL) decreases from 0.036 to 0.0046 cm at 0.015 MeV as the Sb2O3 concentration increases from 0 to 50 mol%. The fast neutron cross section of the six investigated SBK glasses are (0.087, 0.092, 0.095, 0.091, 0.094 and 0.092 cm−1), respectively.

Synthesis, Linear and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Ag/Al2O3 Nanocomposites.

This work reports a detailed study of the synthesis, characterization and third-order nonlinear optical properties of Ag and Al2O3 nanoparticles and their polymer nanocomposites. Ag and Al2O3 nanoparticles were prepared by the chemical precipitation method. The X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the purity and the crystalline nature of the sample and revealed the crystallite size. The linear optical properties and the structural morphology of the nanoparticles were confirmed using UV–visible spectroscopy and SEM analysis. The prepared nanoparticles were introduced into the polymer matrix by the spin-coating technique. Open-aperture and closed-aperture Z-scan technique was used to study the nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction of the samples under a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm. The observed third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility (χ(3)) was on the order of 10−6 esu, which indicates that these materials are potential candidates for photonic applications.

Crystal growth, spectral, Hirshfeld surface analysis, and physicochemical properties of third-order non-linear optical single crystal: 2-methylimidazolium hydrogen adipate

A non-linear organic optical material, 2-methylimidazolium hydrogen adipate (2MIA) crystal, was developed by a slow-evaporation solution growth method. An X-ray diffraction analysis of a single crystal was used to assess the parameters of unit cells and space groups. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis was used to examine the crystal structure and purity of the crystalline planes. The Williamson—Hall equation was used to get the lattice strain in each plane from the PXRD spectra. The 2MIA compound was examined with vibrational bands using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The NMR spectra were used to validate the existence of proton and carbon atoms in the grown single crystal. The percentage contribution of hydrogen interaction of 2MIA was analyzed by a fingerprint plot calculated from the Hirshfeld analysis. We evaluated the optical transparency, and the band gap of the 2MIA single crystal was evaluated from UV-Vis spectroscopy. The thermal property of the 2MIA single crystal was analyzed by TG/DTA technique. The Vickers microhardness test calculated the mechanical properties of 2MIA single crystals for various loads and belonged to the soft category. The dielectric behavior of formed crystals has been investigated for different temperatures regarding frequencies. Optical parameters of the third-order non-linear, such as non-linear refractive index (n2), non-linear absorption coefficient (β), and third-order non-linear susceptibility (χ3), have been determined using Z scan studies.

Ab initio calculation of two-photon absorption in semiconductors

A theoretical derivation of two-photon absorption (2PA) from semiconductors, based on the length gauge analysis and the electron density operator, is formulated; the intraband ${\mathbit{r}}_{i}$ part and the interband ${\mathbit{r}}_{e}$ part of the position operator $\mathbit{r}$ are properly accounted for. Within the independent-particle approximation, the nonlinear third-order susceptibility tensor ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\mathrm{a}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{c}\mathrm{d}}(\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\omega};\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\omega},\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\omega},\ensuremath{\omega})$ and the two-photon absorption coefficient are calculated, including the scissors correction needed to correct the well-known underestimation of the local-density-approximation band gap. Using time-reversal symmetry, it is shown that the expression for ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\mathrm{a}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{c}\mathrm{d}}(\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\omega};\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\omega},\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\omega},\ensuremath{\omega})$ is finite at $\ensuremath{\omega}=0$, avoiding nonphysical divergences presented in previous calculations when $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. Ab initio band structure calculations using different pseudopotential schemes that include spin-orbit coupling are used to calculate the 2PA for several semiconductors, and the calculations are compared with available experimental results for photon energies that are below the optical band gap.

Influence of Proton Ion Irradiation on the Linear–Nonlinear Optoelectronic Properties of Sb40Se20S40 Thin Films at Different Fluences for Photonic Devices

This study investigates the effects of 30 keV proton ion irradiation on the structural, morphological, and linear–nonlinear optoelectronic properties of Sb40Se20S40 thin films. The retention of an amorphous nature and vibrational bonding rearrangements caused by ion irradiation demonstrate structural tailoring. The cumulative decrease in roughness with an increase in ion dose decreases the surface energy and optical absorption loss. With the blue shifting of the absorption edges, proton irradiation increased the optical transmittance and reflectance. The variation of fluence changes the optical bandgap and Urbach energy, which are induced by local structural changes caused by defects and disorder. The refractive index decreased considerably, which supports the Moss rule. Proton irradiation reduced the interband transition and average band energy gap of the system. However, ion irradiation increased optical losses while decreasing optical conductivity and dielectric characteristics. The third-order nonlinear susceptibility and nonlinear refractive index decreased significantly as the fluence increased. Such materials with optical tuning capabilities via ion fluence are essential for cutting-edge photonic and optoelectronic applications.

Third order nonlinearity and optical power limiting studies of PS/ZnO nanocomposite foils for photonic applications

The present work focuses on the preparation of Polystyrene (PS) and PS/ZnO nanocomposite foils by solution casting method and study their structural and nonlinear optical (NLO) characterizations. The Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized by Sol-gel method. Structural analysis of the prepared nanocomposite foils was carried out by x-ray diffraction (XRD) with an estimated average crystallite size of 27.33 nm. UV–vis-NIR spectra reveal that the nanocomposite foils are transparent in the visible region. FESEM micrographs show the surface morphology of the prepared nanocomposite foils. Energy Dispersive x-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) of the prepared foils confirmed the compositional and spatial distribution of the elements. The NLO properties such as nonlinear absorption coefficient (β), nonlinear index of refraction (n2), and third-order nonlinear susceptibility were investigated by Z-scan technique at a wavelength of 532 nm and 200 mW with field intensity The values of β were found to bein the order of ∼ 10−7 cm W−1, n2 in the order of ∼10−12 cm2 W−1 and in the range 4.99 × 10−7– 38.7 × 10−7e.s.u. Further, the optical power limiting threshold was calculated to be 3.646 KW cm−2 for 8 wt % of PS/ZnO nanocomposite foil which is a better candidate to act as an optical limiter. The figure of merit has also been determined that establishes the suitability of nanocomposite foils for optical limiting and/or optical switching applications in the visible region.