Nonlinear optical properties of silver nanoparticles prepared in Ag doped borate glasses

Nonlinear properties of Li2B4O7:Ag borate glasses with “Li2B4O7:Ag nanoparticles” interface region formed by thermal treatment in hydrogen atmosphere and in vacuum are investigated. From the results of plasmon absorption and normalized transmission measurements in Z-scan regime it was ascertained that “Li2B4O7:AgNPs” interface region changes the character of nonlinear refraction of Li2B4O7:Ag glass from negative to positive, and, due to plasmon resonance, increases significantly its nonlinear properties. In particular, the observed growth of nonlinear refractive index n2 is more than four orders of magnitude.