Picosecond Nolinear Optics of Organic Materials

Abstract

Organic and polymeric materials have emerged in recent years as a promising class of nonlinerar optical media for device applications. Interest in Polymeric Materials stems primarily from the promises of large, non-resonant susceptibilitis in optically clear marterials, offering broadband, ultrafast response. We report measurements of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities of certain side-chain ploymers. Measurements were perforemd by the optical kerr effect and degenerate four-wave mixing using a synchronously pumped picosecond dye-laser system operated at. 580 μm. We show that the dominant contribution to be susceptibility on this time sacle is electronic in origin, and compare this response with that obtained by thermally-induced degenerate four-wave mixing in an identical material.