Variation of Nonlinear Refraction and Three-Photon Absorption of Indium-Tin Oxide Quantum Dot Thin Films and Solutions in Near Infrared Range.

We characterize the nonlinear optical properties of indium-tin oxide (ITO) quantum dots (QDs) in the IR range using the Z-scan method. We present results of three-photon absorption (3PA), third harmonic generation (3HG), and Kerr-effect-induced nonlinear refraction in ITO QDs. Z-scan measurements were carried out for the QDs solution, while 3HG was demonstrated using QD thin films.

Investigation of Nonlinear Optical Processes in Mercury Sulfide Quantum Dots.

The authors report the third-harmonic generation, nonlinear refraction, and nonlinear absorption in HgS quantum dot (QD) suspensions and films using the nanosecond and femtosecond pulses. High conversion efficiency (7 × 10) towards the third harmonic (TH) of the 900-1700 nm, 150 fs laser in the thin (70 nm) films containing HgS QDs deposited on the glass substrates is obtained. The authors analyze spectral dependencies of the TH, nonlinear refractive indices, and nonlinear absorption coefficients of QDs in the 500-1700 nm range and discuss the relation between the TH process and the low-order nonlinear optical properties of these quantum dots.

Third-order optical nonlinearities of exfoliated BiTe nanoparticle films in UV, visible and near-infrared ranges measured by tunable femtosecond pulses.

We characterize the nonlinear optical properties of synthesized BiTe nanoparticle-contained thin films using the tunable femtosecond laser in the spectral range of 400-1000 nm. These nanoparticles possess a strong saturable absorption and positive nonlinear refraction (-6.8×10 cm W in the case of 500 nm, 150 fs probe pulses, and 3×10 cm W in the case of 400 nm, 150 fs probe pulses, respectively).

Nonlinear Absorption and Refraction of Picosecond and Femtosecond Pulses in HgTe Quantum Dot Films.

We report measurements of the saturated intensities, saturable absorption, and nonlinear refraction in 70-nm thick films containing 4 nm HgTe quantum dots. We demonstrate strong nonlinear refraction and saturable absorption in the thin films using tunable picosecond and femtosecond pulses. Studies were carried out using tunable laser pulses in the range of 400-1100 nm.

Unusual response to environmental polarity in a nonlinear-optical benzylidene-type chromophore containing a 1,3-bis(dicyanomethylidene)indane acceptor fragment.

One of the strongest known electron-accepting fragments used in the synthesis of organic dyes for applications in nonlinear optics (NLO) is 1,3-bis(dicyanomethylidene)indane (BDMI). By studying a benzylidene-type push-pull chromophore bearing a 5-carboxy-BDMI electron-acceptor and 4-(dimethylamino)aniline donor fragment, we demonstrate that this class of compounds can show unusual response to the polarity of the surrounding medium. The combined results of UV-Vis absorption spectrometry, NMR experiments and computational modeling indicate that the studied compound undergoes a geometrical transformation that involves an increase in the torsion angle ω between the aniline and indane ring systems with the rise of the polarity of the surrounding medium.