Nonlinear optical features on Yb3+/Tm3+ codoped PbO-GeO2 glasses with Si nanoparticles

•We examine nonlinear parameters of PbO-GeO2 glasses codoped by Yb3+/Tm3+ with different Si nanoparticles.•We used the classic Z-scan, SHG and ESHG technique to obtain the NLO parameters.•We compare SHG efficiency of examined samples to the reference β-BBO crystal.•Maximum third-order susceptibility has a sample prepared with 1 wt% of Si powder concentration.

Studies of third-order nonlinear optical phenomena on Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped PbO-GeO2 glasses containing different concentration of silicon nanoparticles are presented. The well-known melting-quenching technique was used for the production of the samples. Measurements were performed using conventional Z-scan, SHG and ESHG methods with Q-switched mode-locked ns scale Nd-YAG lasers, intensities in the 0.8–1.2 GW/cm2 power density range and repetition rate of 10 Hz. Maximum third-order susceptibilities and second harmonic generation were found for the sample prepared with 1 wt% of Si powder.

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