Optical Limiting Analysis of Phthalocyanines in Polymer Thin Films

Poly(arylene ether)s with aromatic azo-coupled cobalt phthalocyanines in the side chain: synthesis, characterization and nonlinear optical and optical limiting properties

A novel poly(arylene ether) with azo-coupled cobalt phthalocyanine in the side chain (PAE-azo-CoPc) was prepared by 1,2-benzodinitrile, anhydrous cobaltous chloride and a novel azobenzene-containing poly(aryl ether) (PAE-azo-DCN) via a nucleophilic substitution polycondensation based on a novel bisfluoro monomer, 4-[(3,4-cyanophenyl)diazenyl]phenyl-2,6-difluorobenzoate. The obtained polymers were characterized and evaluated by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, DSC and TGA. PAE-azo-CoPc exhibited higher glass transition temperature and better thermal stability than PAE-azo-DCN because of the introduction of cobalt phthalocyanine groups. The results of Z-scan measurements demonstrated that PAE-azo-CoPc showed reversible saturable absorption and positive refraction, and PAE-azo-DCN showed saturable absorption and negative refraction. By calculation, PAE-azo-CoPc exhibited larger third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities than that of PAE-azo-DCN. The results of optical limiting measurements demonstrated that the PAE-azo-CoPc exhibited an excellent optical limiting response.

A novel poly(arylene ether) with azo-coupled cobalt phthalocyanine in the side chain was prepared by 1,2-benzodinitrile, anhydrous cobaltous chloride and a novel azobenzene-containing poly(aryl ether).

Optical Limiting Properties of 3,5-Dithienylenevinylene BODIPY Dyes at 532 nm

The optical limiting properties of a series of near infrared absorbing 3,5-dithienylenevinylene BODIPY (boron-dipyrromethene) dyes (1-3) that contain donor and acceptor moieties in their π-conjugation systems were studied by using the z-scan technique at 532 nm in the nanosecond pulse range. A strong reverse saturable absorption response was observed when the compounds are embedded into poly(bisphenol carbonate A) polymer thin films, which demonstrates that BODIPY dyes with this type of structure are suitable for use in optical limiting applications.

Nonlinear Optical Materials for the Smart Filtering of Optical Radiation

The control of luminous radiation has extremely important implications for modern and future technologies as well as in medicine. In this Review, we detail chemical structures and their relevant photophysical features for various groups of materials, including organic dyes such as metalloporphyrins and metallophthalocyanines (and derivatives), other common organic materials, mixed metal complexes and clusters, fullerenes, dendrimeric nanocomposites, polymeric materials (organic and/or inorganic), inorganic semiconductors, and other nanoscopic materials, utilized or potentially useful for the realization of devices able to filter in a smart way an external radiation. The concept of smart is referred to the characteristic of those materials that are capable to filter the radiation in a dynamic way without the need of an ancillary system for the activation of the required transmission change. In particular, this Review gives emphasis to the nonlinear optical properties of photoactive materials for the function of optical power limiting. All known mechanisms of optical limiting have been analyzed and discussed for the different types of materials.