Nanosecond switching in carbon microparticle suspensions

Robert R. Michael Jr.; Christopher M. Lawson; Gary W. Euliss; Mehrdad Mohebi

doi:10.1117/12.58094

1 April 1992 Nanosecond switching in carbon microparticle suspensions

Robert R. Michael Jr., Christopher M. Lawson, Gary W. Euliss, Mehrdad Mohebi

Proceedings Volume 1626, Nonlinear Optics III; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.58094
Event: OE/LASE '92, 1992, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

We have investigated several nanosecond nonlinear switching mechanisms in carbon microparticle suspensions. These switching mechanisms are based on combinations of effects such as plasma scattering and cavitation-induced total internal reflection (TIR). The contributions from each of these effects is studied. The dominant nonlinear switching mechanism in the majority of these samples is laser induced cavitation which leads to TIR switching. This occurs when the incident laser energy that is absorbed by a carbon particle is sufficient to heat up and vaporize a small volume of the suspending liquid forming a microbubble. TIR switching is observed when these vapor bubbles expand to dimensions that are similar to the transverse dimensions of the incident beam and form a glass-vapor interface at the front substrate surface. Using this mechanism, nonlinear refractive index changes as large as 0.3 have been experimentally obtained on a nanosecond time scale using low power, Q-switched, frequency doubled ((lambda) equals 0.532 micrometers ), Nd:YAG laser pulses.

Citation Download Citation

Robert R. Michael Jr., Christopher M. Lawson, Gary W. Euliss, and Mehrdad Mohebi "Nanosecond switching in carbon microparticle suspensions", Proc. SPIE 1626, Nonlinear Optics III, (1 April 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.58094

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