Optical limiting materials

Patent · 21 April 1998

OSTI ID:644436

McBranch, D W; Mattes, B R; Koskelo, A C; Heeger, A J; Robinson, J M; Smilowitz, L B; Klimov, V I; Cha, M; Sariciftci, N S; Hummelen, J C

Methanofullerenes, fulleroids and/or other fullerenes chemically altered for enhanced solubility, in liquid solution, and in solid blends with transparent glass (SiO{sub 2}) gels or polymers, or semiconducting (conjugated) polymers, are shown to be useful as optical limiters (optical surge protectors). The nonlinear absorption is tunable such that the energy transmitted through such blends saturates at high input energy per pulse over a wide range of wavelengths from 400--1,100 nm by selecting the host material for its absorption wavelength and ability to transfer the absorbed energy into the optical limiting composition dissolved therein. This phenomenon should be generalizable to other compositions than substituted fullerenes. 5 figs.

• Research Organization: University of California
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: Univ. of California, Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5,741,442/A/
• Application Number: PAN: 8-499,888; CNN: Contract AFOSR-93-1-0191DEF
• OSTI ID: 644436
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTIVITY
FULLERENES
GELS
GLASS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
POLYMERS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS