Intensity dependent nonlinear absorption coefficients and nonlinear refractive indices of glass-forming ionic liquid crystals doped with gold and silver nanoparticles

In this paper, we report nonlinear-optical properties of the newly designed glassy nanocomposites made of mesomorphic cadmium octanoate (CdC8) doped with a small fraction of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NP). The nanosecond laser scanning measurements (Z-scan) were performed at the wavelength (532 nm) within the absorption band of the studied materials. Both types of nanocomposites (CdC8|Au NP and CdC8|Ag NP) exhibit strongly pronounced dependence of the nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index on the intensity of the laser beam. Physical mechanisms leading to this dependence are discussed.