Using pulse transit delay in Z-scan to discriminate between excited-state absorption and other nonlinear processes in ZnO nanocones

Matthew P. Shortell, Esa A. Jaatinen, Jin Chang, Eric R. Waclawik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report a new approach that uses the single beam Z-scan technique, to discriminate between excited state absorption (ESA) and two and three photon nonlinear absorption. By measuring the apparent delay or advance of the pulse in reaching the detector, the nonlinear absorption can be unambiguously identified as either instantaneous or transient. The simple method does not require a large range of input fluences or sophisticated pulse-probe experimental apparatus. The technique is easily extended to any absorption process dependent on pulse width and to nonlinear refraction measurements. We demonstrate in particular, that the large nonlinear absorption in ZnO nanocones when exposed to nanosecond 532 nm pulses, is due mostly to ESA, not pure two-photon absorption.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6222-6228
Number of pages7
JournalOptics Express
Volume22
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes

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