Spatially and temporally resolved transmission measurements on novel high-damage-threshold polymer optical limiting devices

摘要

Physical Sciences Inc. has several ongoing programs to develop novel high-damage-threshold solid-state optical limiters. We are using polymer matrices doped with RSA (reverse saturable absorber) chromophores such as metallo-phthalocyanines to create both a tandem optical limiter and a graded-density limiter. Characterization is performed using a novel f/5 optical setup which simultaneously measures spatial and temporal profiles of the transmitted light as well as the conventional average transmission. A Q-switched doubled Nd:YAG is used as the probe laser. In this paper, we present detailed spatial and temporal characterization of solid-state tandem optical-limiter devices. To our knowledge, few such measurements have been conducted on limiting materials. Our initial results indicate that for these materials, damage typically occurs within two nanoseconds of the damaging pulse. In addition, CCD images reveal the spatial evolution of the nonlinear absorption of the pulse as it interacts with the limiting material at energies ranging from microjoules to millijoules. Lastly, time-resolved damage measurements were conducted on PMMA. These results as well as others which elucidate the limiting and damage dynamics will be presented.