Effect of inhomogeneous magnetization in optical second harmonic generation from layered nanostructures.

Magnetic nanostructures reveal unique interface induced properties that differ from those of bulk materials, thus magnetization distributions in interface regions are of high interest. Meanwhile, direct measurement of magnetization distribution in layered nanostructures is a complicated task. Here we study magnetic field induced effects in optical second harmonic generation (SHG) in three-layer ferromagnetic / heavy metals nano films.

Probing of carotenoid-tryptophan hydrogen bonding dynamics in the single-tryptophan photoactive Orange Carotenoid Protein.

The photoactive Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) plays a key role in cyanobacterial photoprotection. In OCP, a single non-covalently bound keto-carotenoid molecule acts as a light intensity sensor, while the protein is responsible for forming molecular contacts with the light-harvesting antenna, the fluorescence of which is quenched by OCP. Activation of this physiological interaction requires signal transduction from the photoexcited carotenoid to the protein matrix.

Two-Photon Luminescence and Second-Harmonic Generation in Organic Nonlinear Surface Comprised of Self-Assembled Frustum Shaped Organic Microlasers.

An ultrathin nonlinear optical (NLO) organic surface composed of numerous self-assembled frustum-shaped whispering-gallery-mode resonators displays both two-photon luminescence and second-harmonic-generation signals. A super-second-order increase of the NLO intensity with respect to pump power confirms the microlasing action and practical usefulness of the NLO organic surfaces.