CRYSTALLINE MATERIALS Introduction Physical Properties Optical Properties Mechanical Properties Thermal Properties Magnetooptic Properties Electrooptic Properties Elastooptic Properties Nonlinear Optical Properties GLASSES Introduction Commercial Optical Glasses Specialty Optical Glasses Fused Silica Fluoride Glasses Chalcogenide Glasses Magnetooptic Properties Electrooptic Properties Elastooptic Properties Nonlinear Optical Properties Special Glasses POLYMERIC MATERIALS Optical Plastics Index of Refraction Nonlinear Optical Properties Thermal Properties Engineering Data METALS Physical Properties of Selected Metals Optical Properties Mechanical Properties Thermal Properties Mirror Substrate Materials LIQUIDS Introduction Water Physical Properties of Selected Liquids Index of Refraction Nonlinear Optical Properties Magnetooptic Properties Commercial Optical Liquids GASES Introduction Physical Properties of Selected Gases Index of Refraction Nonlinear Optical Properties Magnetooptic Properties Atomic Resonance Filters APPENDICES Safe Handling of Optical Materials Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Mineralogical or Common Names for Optical Materials Abbreviations for Methods of Preparing Optical Materials and Thin Films Fundamental Physical Constants Units and Conversion Factors

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Handbook of Optical Materials

Surface plasmon–polaritions, collective electron oscillations coupled to light waves at the surface of a metal, show unique properties that are valuable in a broad range of scientific fields. However, the intrinsic propagation loss of these waves poses a fundamental problem to many potential applications. To overcome this drawback, researchers have explored the possibility of loss compensation by means of surface plasmon–polarition amplification. Here we provide the first direct measurement of gain in propagating plasmons using the long-range surface plasmon–polariton supported by a symmetric metal stripe waveguide that incorporates optically pumped dye molecules in solution as the gain medium. The measured mode power gain is 8.55 dB mm−1. Furthermore, it is shown that this new class of amplifier benefits from reduced spontaneous emission into the amplified mode, potentially leading to low-noise optical amplification. Researchers overcome the propagation loss of surface-plasmon polaritons, with this demonstration being the first direct gain measurement of propagating plasmons. Low-loss long-range modes of a metal stripe waveguide are amplified by using optically pumped dye molecules in solution as the gain medium. The mode power gain was measured to be 8.55 dB mm−1.

Amplification of long-range surface plasmons by a dipolar gain medium

From simple micelles in water, nearly spherical aggregates of amphiphilic molecules, to bicontinuous microemulsions, oil and water microheterogeneous mixtures stabilised by a surfactant film with both local and large-scale disordered structures, the world of surfactant-containing systems is fascinating. Depending on a subtle balance of attractive and repulsive interactions between molecules at interfaces, an extraordinarily rich polymorphism of aggregated structures can be observed. After summarising the basic general constraints controlling surfactant aggregation and the formation of interfaces, different structures of micelles and microemulsions are reviewed and related to interfacial film properties and the intermolecular interactions inside them.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0034-4885/53/3/002/pdf

The structure of micelles and microemulsions

Plasmon lasers can support ultrasmall mode confinement and ultrafast dynamics with device feature sizes below the diffraction limit. However, most plasmon-based nanolasers rely on solid gain materials (inorganic semiconducting nanowire or organic dye in a solid matrix) that preclude the possibility of dynamic tuning. Here we report an approach to achieve real-time, tunable lattice plasmon lasing based on arrays of gold nanoparticles and liquid gain materials. Optically pumped arrays of gold nanoparticles surrounded by liquid dye molecules exhibit lasing emission that can be tuned as a function of the dielectric environment. Wavelength-dependent time-resolved experiments show distinct lifetime characteristics below and above the lasing threshold. By integrating gold nanoparticle arrays within microfluidic channels and flowing in liquid gain materials with different refractive indices, we achieve dynamic tuning of the plasmon lasing wavelength. Tunable lattice plasmon lasers offer prospects to enhance and detect weak physical and chemical processes on the nanoscale in real time.

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Real-time tunable lasing from plasmonic nanocavity arrays

The range of organic compounds whose degenerate two-photon absorption (2PA) spectrum has been reported has increased rapidly in recent years, in parallel with the growing interest in applications based on the 2PA process. The comparison of results from different techniques is not always straightforward, and experimental conditions employed may vary significantly. We overview the concepts underlying 2PA measurements and the common assumptions and approximations used in the data analysis for various techniques. The importance of selecting appropriate excitation regimes under which measurements should be performed and of avoiding contributions from absorption mechanisms in addition to 2PA will be emphasized.

Two-photon absorption: an overview of measurements and principles

Picosecond pulse generation in longitudinally pumped dye laser generators and amplifiers is studied experimentally and theoretically. Frequency-tunable pulses between 720 and 940 nm are generated with a picosecond ruby laser pump source. The amplification of spontaneous emission and of seeding pulses in the generator and amplifier cells is investigated. Stimulated emission cross-sections and excited-state absorption cross-sections are determined by computer simulations. The coherence properties of the generated radiation are analysed. Resonance Raman contributions are resolved.

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Experimental and theoretical investigation of tunable picosecond pulse generation in longitudinally pumped dye laser generators and amplifiers

The intensity-dependent transmission of picosecond ruby laser pulses of different duration through methanolic and ethanolic solutions of rhodamine B and rhodamine 6G is analysed. The transmission is affected by S0-S
 n
 two-photon absorption, by stimulated emission at the pump-laser frequency, by amplified spontaneous emission and by excited-state absorption. Various parameters involving the two-photon absorption dynamics are determined by comparing experiments with numerical simulations.

/pdf/s0-sn-two-photon-absorption-dynamics-of-rhodamine-dyes-2h6x9zus1y.pdf

S0-Sn two-photon absorption dynamics of rhodamine dyes

https://epub.uni-regensburg.de/4013/1/ubr03503_ocr.pdf

Measurement of absorption cross sections in the long-wavelength region of the S0S1 absorption band of dyes

Intracavity pulse compression of self-phase modulated pulses in passively modelocked lasers leads to temporally structured pulses. Experimental two-photon fluorescence traces are decorrelated to determine the approximate temporal shape of the modulated pulses.

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P. Sperber

Papers

Experimental and theoretical investigation of tunable picosecond pulse generation in longitudinally pumped dye laser generators and amplifiers

S0-Sn two-photon absorption dynamics of rhodamine dyes

Measurement of absorption cross sections in the long-wavelength region of the S0S1 absorption band of dyes

Pulse-shape determination of intracavity compressed picosecond pulses by two-photon fluorescence analysis.

Pulse Compression in a Passively Mode-Locked Ruby Laser