Excitation Wavelength and Colloids Concentration-Dependent Nonlinear Optical Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Laser Ablation

Abstract

We reported experimental results from investigations that employed the Z-scan method to explore the dependence of silver nanoparticles’ (AgNPs) nonlinear optical properties on the excitation wavelength, AgNP concentration, and size. Using a 532 nm Nd: YAG laser beam at 100 mJ/pulse for different ablation times, AgNPs were synthesized from a silver target immersed in distilled water. UV–Vis spectroscopy and an atomic absorption spectrometer are used to characterize the optical properties of laser-synthesized AgNPs as well as their concentrations. The AgNPs’ size and shape are determined using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The laser-synthesized AgNPs are spherical, with an average particle size of 12 to 13.2 nm. Whatever the ablation time, the AgNP colloids exhibit reversed saturable absorption and a negative nonlinear refractive index (n2). Both n2 and the nonlinear absorption coefficient (α3) increase as the AgNP concentration increases. As the excitation wavelength and average size of the AgNPs increase, n2 and α3 decrease.