The effect of charge transfer on the ultrafast and two-photon absorption properties of newly synthesized boron-dipyrromethene compounds

•New BODIPY compounds containing nitro, diphenylamine and triphenylamine groups.•Enhancement of two photon absorption properties at NIR region by increasing charge transfer mechanism.•Charge transfer mechanisms were investigated with ultrafast pump-probe absorption spectra.•Open aperture Z-scan experiments showed that charge transfer enhanced to two photon absorption properties.•Two photon absorption cross section value was measured as 220 GM at 800 nm wavelength.

New BODIPY compounds containing nitro, diphenylamine and triphenylamine groups were designed and synthesized to enhance two photon absorption properties at NIR region by increasing charge transfer mechanism. Charge transfer mechanisms were investigated with linear absorption, fluorescence and ultrafast pump-probe absorption spectra. Solvents with various polarities were used to better understand the charge transfer properties of investigated compounds. Open aperture Z-scan experiments showed that charge transfer enhanced to two photon absorption properties. Two photon absorption cross section value was measured as 220 GM at 800 nm wavelength for the 3TFABDP compound. This value at 800 nm wavelength is considerably high compared to similar BODIPY compounds in literature.