Optical limiting properties of carbon nanotubes

L. Vivien (1) , D. Riehl (1) , François Hache (2) , E. Anglaret (3)

1 Department Lasers Optique
2 LOB - Laboratoire d'optique et biosciences
3 GDPC - Groupe de Dynamique des Phases Condensées

We review a series of investigations on nonlinear optical properties of carbon nanotube suspensions for optical limiting application. Z-scan, pump-probe, and shadowgraphics experiments allowed us to study the mechanism responsible for optical limiting. The main effect is nonlinear scattering, which is due to heat transfer from particles to solvent, leading to solvent bubble formation and to sublimation of carbon nanotubes.

L. Vivien, D. Riehl, François Hache, E. Anglaret. Optical limiting properties of carbon nanotubes. Physica B: Condensed Matter, 2002, 323 (1-4), pp.233-234. ⟨10.1016/S0921-4526(02)00974-2⟩. ⟨hal-00838168⟩