Two-photon absorption: an overview of measurements and principles

The range of organic compounds whose degenerate two-photon absorption (2PA) spectrum has been reported has increased rapidly in recent years, in parallel with the growing interest in applications based on the 2PA process. The comparison of results from different techniques is not always straightforward, and experimental conditions employed may vary significantly. We overview the concepts underlying 2PA measurements and the common assumptions and approximations used in the data analysis for various techniques. The importance of selecting appropriate excitation regimes under which measurements should be performed and of avoiding contributions from absorption mechanisms in addition to 2PA will be emphasized. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America