Excellent ultraviolet optical limiting properties of Se nanosheets

Selenium (Se) is located in the fourth period of the periodic table in group VIA (element 34). In this experiment, three different solvents (isopropyl alcohol, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and ethanol) were used to prepare the two-dimensional Se nanosheets, which were manufactured by the liquid phase exfoliation method with a thickness of 3.35-4.64 nm and a transverse scale of several hundred nanometers. The nonlinear absorption properties at 355, 532, and 1064 nm were studied using the open aperture Z-scan technique. Final results showed that Se nanosheets exhibited optical limiting (OL) effect in all three wavebands and three solvents, and had large two-photon absorption coefficients, especially in ultraviolet (UV) waveband. Which proved that Se nanosheets had great potential application as excellent OL materials in UV waveband. Our research broadens the path for the semiconductor field of Se, inspires the application of Se in nonlinear optics field.

Automated summary

In this study, two-dimensional selenium nanosheets were prepared by the liquid phase exfoliation method with different solvents. The nonlinear absorption properties of the nanosheets were investigated and demonstrated optical limiting effects in three wavebands and three solvents, especially in the ultraviolet waveband. The research expands the potential applications of selenium in the field of nonlinear optics.