Optical limiting behavior of a glass-ceramic containing sodium niobate crystallites

The nonlinear absorption properties of a glass-ceramic containing ferroelectric sodium niobate (NaNbO3) crystallites were investigated. Two- and three-photon absorption coefficients were determined using nanosecond pulsed lasers. The optical power-limiting performance for light beams at 1064 and 532 nm was dependent on the volume fraction of NaNbO3 crystallites formed during the heat-treatment process. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.