The synthesis of fac-[Ir{N,C1′-(2,2′-NC5H4C6H3-5′-C≡C-1-C6H2-3,5-Et2-4-C≡CC6H4-4-C≡CH)}3] (10), which bears pendant ethynyl groups, and its reaction with [RuCl(dppe)2]PF6 to afford the heterobimetallic complex fac-[Ir{N,C1′-(2,2′-NC5H4C6H3-5′-C≡C-1-C6H2-3,5-Et2-4-C≡CC6H4-4-C≡C-trans-[RuCl(dppe)2])}3] (11) is described. Complex 10 is available from the two-step formation of iodo-functionalized fac-tris[2-(4-iodophenyl)pyridine]iridium(III) (6), followed by ligand-centered palladium-catalyzed coupling and desilylation reactions. Structural studies of tetrakis[2-(4-iodophenyl)pyridine-N,C1′](μ-dichloro)diiridium 5, 6, fac-[Ir{N,C1′-(2,2′-NC5H4C6H3-5′-C≡C-1-C6H2-3,5-Et2-4-C≡CH)}3] (8), and 10 confirm ligand-centered derivatization of the tris(2-phenylpyridine)iridium unit. Electrochemical studies reveal two (5) or one (6–10) Ir-centered oxidations for which the potential is sensitive to functionalization at the phenylpyridine groups but relatively insensitive to more remote derivatization. Compound 11 undergoes sequential Ru-centered and Ir-centered oxidation, with the potential of the latter significantly more positive than that of Ir(N,C′-NC5H4-2-C6H4-2)3. Ligand-centered π–π* transitions characteristic of the Ir(N,C′-NC5H4-2-C6H4-2)3 unit red-shift and gain in intensity following the iodo and alkynyl incorporation. Spectroelectrochemical studies of 6, 7, 9, and 11 reveal the appearance in each case of new low-energy LMCT bands following formal IrIII/IV oxidation preceded, in the case of 11, by the appearance of a low-energy LMCT band associated with the formal RuII/III oxidation process. Emission maxima of 6–10 reveal a red-shift upon alkynyl group introduction and arylalkynyl π-system lengthening; this process is quenched upon incorporation of the ligated ruthenium moiety on proceeding to 11. Third-order nonlinear optical studies of 11 were undertaken at the benchmark wavelengths of 800 nm (fs pulses) and 532 nm (ns pulses), the results from the former suggesting a dominant contribution from two-photon absorption, and results from the latter being consistent with primarily excited-state absorption.

Measurement of the wavelength dispersion of optical limiting in materials can provide invaluable information useful for laser safety device applications. However, it can be a tedious task when conventional tunable laser sources like the optical parametric amplifier are employed for excitation. Here we report the spectral dispersion of ultrafast optical limiting in the laser dye Coumarin-120 in the wavelength region 630 to 900 nm, measured in a single Z-scan, using the white-light continuum as the excitation source. Optical limiting is found to arise from two-photon absorption, and its spectrum agrees very well in shape with the linear absorption spectrum.

No abstract

No abstract

Copper doped zinc aluminum ferrites CuxZn1-x.(AlxFe2-x)O4 are synthesized by the solid-state reaction route and characterized by XRD, TEM, EPR and non linear optical spectroscopy techniques. The average particle size is found to be from 35 to 90nm and the unit cell parameter "a" is calculated as from 8.39 to 8.89Å. The cation distributions are estimated from X-ray diffraction intensities of various planes. The XRD studies have verified the quality of the synthesis of compounds and have shown the differences in the positions of the diffraction peaks due to the change in concentration of copper ions. TEM pictures clearly indicating that fundamental unit is composed of octahedral and tetrahedral blocks and joined strongly. The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) of the ferrite system shows best crystallinity is obtained when Cu content is very. Some of the d-plane spacings are exactly coinciding with XRD values. EPR spectra is compositional dependent at lower Al/Cu concentration EPR spectra is due to Fe(3+) and at a higher content of Al/Cu the EPR spectra is due to Cu(2+). Absence of EPR spectra at room temperature indicates that the sample is perfectly ferromagnetic. EPR results at low temperature indicate that the sample is paramagnetic, and that copper is placed in the tetragonal elongation (B) site with magnetically non-equivalent ions in the unit cell having strong exchange coupling between them. This property is useful in industrial applications. Nonlinear optical properties of the samples studied using 5ns laser pulses at 532nm employing the open aperture z-scan technique indicate that these ferrites are potential candidates for optical limiting applications.