Transparent niobate glass‐ceramics for optical limiting

Abstract

The construction of nonlinear optical materials featuring asymmetric transmission of light is of great technological importance for various applications, including optical switching and optical power limiting. A significant challenge is the scalable fabrication of material candidates with good photochemical stability, high optical transmittance, and excellent optical limiting performance. Here, we present a nanocrystallization avenue for constructing hybrid optical limiting materials that exhibit ultrafast and robust optical limiting performance. The experimental resultsshow that the controllable relaxation of a niobate glass may lead to the clustering of Nb-O units and contracting of the bandgap. It results in the notable improvement in nonlinear optical properties, including the enhanced saturation irradiance (380 GW/cm 2 ), doubly increased nonlinear coefficient, and decreased limiting threshold (200 GW/cm 2 ). Our results suggest a promising material that exhibits promising applications for protecting eyes and sensitive components from laserinduced damage.

Manipulating Nonlinear Optical Response via Domain Control in Nanocrystal‐in‐Glass Composites

“…The Raman analysis confirms the precipitation of crystalline phase in NIG composite and a series of sharp Raman peaks at 250 to 441 and 630 cm −1 can be ascribed to the typical A 1 TO and E TO vibrational modes of [NbO 6 ] octahedron within the crystalline LiNbO 3 (Figure 1b and see Figure S1, Supporting Information for details). [18][19][20][21] In contrast, as-made samples do not exhibit characteristic bands of the crystalline phase, indicating their amorphous structure. Moreover, the crystallinity of the NIG composites can be rationally controlled.…”

Nonlinear Optical Limiting and Radiation Shielding Characteristics of Sm2O3 Doped Cadmium Sodium Lithium Borate Glasses

“…These predicaments can possibly be overcome in inorganic materials. Out of many inorganic materials, the vitreous inorganic materials are receiving considerable attention and interest in recent decades [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]. In particular, glasses are believed to be potential materials for these applications [ 6 , 7 ] because glasses exhibit better transparency, a moderate melting point, and thermal stability, along with excellent mechanical and chemical durability [ 6 ].…”

“…Moreover, the fabrication of glass matrices is more convenient in contrast to crystals, with good optical quality and appropriate dimensions. Lastly, the glass materials show instantaneous response to the electromagnetic radiation excitation (ultrafast response times) and high transmission under low intensity [ 4 , 5 , 10 ]. Various phenomena which are responsible for OL process can be assessed by evaluating the NLO properties of glasses.…”

“…This is possible by improving the NLA and controlling the NLR features of the glasses, or in other words, significant enhancement in NLA is more essential than NLR for effective utilization of glassy hosts in OL functionalities. To this, the doping of REI to the host glasses is one of the best methods out of many routes followed by many researchers to tune the NLO results of the glasses [ 4 , 5 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Study on Excited State Kinetics and Optical Limiting Performance of Triphenylamine-Based Chalcone Derivatives: Effect of the Molecular π-Conjugated Structure

“…Optical limiting (OL) as an important application of nonlinear optics has been studied by researchers all over the world for decades. − With the rapid development of laser technology, it is necessary to achieve effective protection of photodetectors and human eyes from laser damage. The study of optical limiters based on nonlinear absorption is one of the most popular topics at present. − High linear transmittance and strong nonlinear absorption characteristics are essential qualities of excellent OL materials, which can separately ensure high transmission characteristics under low-intensity laser pulses and low transmission characteristics under high-intensity laser pulses. Organic materials have received much attention for OL applications due to their low cost, structural flexibility, and superior nonlinear absorption characteristics. − Chalcone derivatives with typical donor−π–acceptor (D−π–A) frameworks are promising candidates for second-harmonic generation (SHG), − optical switching, optical data storage, photodynamic therapy, and OL applications. − Their well-defined molecular structures help to summarize structure–property relationships and to directionally develop superior organic nonlinear optical (NLO) materials.…”