Optical limiting studies in a carbon-black suspension for subnanosecond and subpicosecond laser pulses

Abstract

This paper presents results of measurements of short (0.3 ps, 0.2 ns, and 10 ns) laser pulse transmissions through a liquid suspension of fine carbon particles (named CBS for "carbon-black suspension") at input-pulse energies up to 10 mJ. The 10-ns pulses came from a Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm, and the shorter pulses came from a Ti:sapphire laser at 800 nm. Limiting was observed with the 10-ns and the 0.2-ns laser pulses, but the 0.3-ps pulses produced white light and underwent the same level of attenuation in the solvent and in the CBS.