Measurements of the third-order nonlinear refractive index, n 2 , and the two-photon absorption coefficient, ␣ 2 , of a transparent niobic silicate nanocomposite are reported. Samples with various filling factors, f , of sodium niobate nanocrystals were studied at 1064 nm, 800 nm, and 532 nm. Z-scan and Kerr gate techniques were applied using picosecond and femtosecond lasers. The response time of the nonlinearity was demonstrated to be smaller than 100 fs. An explanation is given for the observed spectral behavior of n 2 and ␣ 2 , and a quantitative approach of their dependence with f is presented in terms of a generalized Maxwell-Garnet model. Possible uses of the nanocomposite for all-optical switching applications are evaluated.
We report on the ultrafast nonlinearity of antimony polyphosphate glasses measured using the Kerr shutter technique. The nonlinear refractive index, n2, was (1.1±0.2)×10−14 cm2/W at 800 nm, and enhancement of n2 by ≈80% was observed by adding 10% of lead oxide in the glass composition. The full width at half-maximum of the third-order correlation signal was 150 fs, which implies a fast response of the samples (⩽100 fs). Nonlinear absorption was negligible in the range of intensities used.
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