Metalloporphyrin polymer with temporally agile, broadband nonlinear absorption for optical pulse suppression in the near infrar

A lead bis(ethynyl)porphyrin polymer possesses strong nonlinear absorption with unprecedented spectral/temporal coverage as a result of broad, overlapping two-photon and excited-state absorption bands with favorable excited-state dynamics. Consequently, this material exhibits effective optical limiting over a range of about 500 nm in the near infrared (ca. 1050 – 1600 nm) and for laser pulsewidths spanning from 75 fs to 40 ns. Introduction of the material in a waveguide device geometry results in a strong optical limiting response. ©2009 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (190.0190) Nonlinear optics; (190.4710) Optical nonlinearities in organic materials; (190.4180) Multiphoton processes; (190.7110) Ultrafast nonlinear optics; (070.4340) Nonlinear optical signal processing; (130.2790) Guided waves References and Links 1. E. W. Van Stryland, H. Vanherzeele, M. A. Woodall, M. J. Soileau, A. L. Smirl, S. Guha, and T. F. 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