Optical limiting properties of singlewall carbon nanotubes

We report on the optical limiting performances of singlewall carbon nanotubes. The nonlinear transmission of the samples is investigated using nanosecond Nd:YAG laser pulses at 532 nm and 1064nm. Z-scan experiments are carried out at different incident energies in order to identify the effects responsible for nonlinear transmission. We find that nonlinear scattering and nonlinear refraction are the dominant mechanisms. Optical limiting efficiencies are compared with those of multiwall nanotubes, carbon black suspensions and fullerenes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.