Title

Passive Optical Limiting: Where Are We?

Abstract

We give a brief history of optical limiting with a few key references. A conclusion from these works is that we are still materials limited. Better nonlinear materials are needed to satisfy optical limiting and switching requirements. Many researchers are concentrating efforts on organic materials hoping that synthesis successes in other fields will also work for nonlinear optics. What is needed is a rapid characterization method for determining the nonlinear spectra of organic materials (both nonlinear absorption and refraction). Pump-probe experiments where the probe is a white-light continuum are ideally suited for this characterization. In principle the nonlinear spectra can be determined in a single laser firing. Since continua usually require short pulses to produce them, an added advantage is that the time resolution allows separation of ultrafast processes (two-photon absorption and the associated n2) from cumulative nonlinearities such as excited state absorption.

Publication Date

6-1-1999

Publication Title

Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology Section B: Nonlinear Optics

Volume

21

Issue

1-4

Number of Pages

29-38

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

Socpus ID

0033140697 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0033140697

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