Nonlinear optical properties of 2,4,5-Trimethoxy-4′-nitrochalcone: observation of two-photon-induced excited-state nonlinearities

We report experimental investigations of optical nonlinearities and nonlinear dynamics in acetone solution of 2,4,5-Trimethoxy-4'-nitrochalcone. By performing Z-scans with femtosecond laser pulses at low excitation intensity, two-photon absorption (2PA) and third-order nonlinear refraction are measured. As laser excitation intensity exceeds a critical value, however, the interplay between third- and fifth-order nonlinearities is observed. It is also confirmed that fifth-order processes mainly originate from 2PA-induced excited-state nonlinearities by conducting femtosecond time-resolved degenerate pump-probe measurements. All the nonlinear parameters are determined unambiguously in the near infrared region of the 2PA cross-section, second-order hyperpolarizability, excited-state absorption cross-section, excited-state refraction cross-section, lifetime of excited states induced by 2PA, and critical population of the excited states in 2,4,5-Trimethoxy-4'-nitrochalcone molecule. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America