Nonlinear Optical Characterization of InP@ZnS Core-Shell Colloidal Quantum Dots Using 532 nm, 10 ns Pulses

InP@ZnS core-shell colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized and characterized using the z-scan technique. The nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption coefficients (γ = −2 × 10−12 cm2 W−1, β = 4 × 10−8 cm W−1) of these CQDs were determined using 10 ns, 532 nm pulses. The saturable absorption (β = −1.4 × 10−9 cm W−1, Isat = 3.7 × 108 W cm−2) in the 3.5 nm CQDs dominated at small intensities of the probe pulses (I ≤ 7 × 107 W cm−2) followed by reverse saturable absorption at higher laser intensities. We report the optical limiting studies using these CQDs showing the suppression of propagated nanosecond radiation in the intensity range of 8 × 107–2 × 109 W cm−2. The role of nonline…