Enhancing of the nonlinear absorption and optical limiting performances of the phthalocyanine thin films by adding of the single walled carbon nanotubes in poly(methyl methacrylate) host

Abstract Unlike the earlier nonlinear optical studies of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) which were generally carried out as solvent, in this study, we established to deposit the unsoluble SWCNTs as homogeneous thin films by blending them with phthalocyanines in PMMA host. The structural and morphological features of the thin films were studied by SEM and TEM imaging techniques while the linear, nonlinear-absorptions and carrier dynamic properties of the thin films were investigated with the UV–Vis spectrophotometer, open aperture Z-scan experiments and pump-probe technique, respectively. In addition, the optical limiting performances of the samples were calculated from nonlinear absorption spectra. It was observed that the linear- and nonlinear-absorptions and optical limiting performance of the thin films increased with the mixing of the SWCNT sample with the Pcs complexes. We have clearly explained the mechanisms contributing to the nonlinear optical absorption and optical limiting performances.