Nonlinear optical effects in novel materials

Second and third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) effects lead to a variety of useful applications in laser technologies and photonics. We have been investigating NLO properties of many classes of potentially technologically useful materials such as organics (e.g. polymers), organometallics, inorganic glasses, metals, organic-inorganic hybrids, semiconductors, composites etc. Many of these materials and structures have been developed in collaboration with other Australian and overseas groups. Our experimental facilities allow us to investigate the NLO properties in a wide wavelength range and with femtosecond temporal resolution.

Our current research focuses on several issues including:

- dispersion of NLO properties of organic and organometallic chromophores

- nonlinear electrochromism

- nonlinear chirooptic effects

- DNA as a material for applications in photonics and biotronics

Dr Marek Samoc; Dr Anna Samoc; Ms Anita Smith; Prof. Barry Luther Davies; Amrita Prasad;