NSF DMR 2018653: Nonlinear absorption in phthalocyanine thin films and solutions using a continuous wave laser

with Nathaniel Morrison and Thomas Gredig

The nonlinear absorption of nanoscale thin films of iron phthalocyanine, zinc phthalocyanine, and metal-free phthalocyanine fabricated via thermal evaporation at various deposition temperatures was studied using the open-aperture z-scan method with a continuous wave laser. A solution of tetra-tert-butyl-phthalocyanine in chloroform was also studied via z-scan. The thin films exhibit pronounced saturable absorption, with the degree of nonlinearity highly dependent on the type of metal complex. No significant correlation was found between deposition temperature and nonlinear absorption. The liquid sample exhibits a transition from saturable absorption to reverse saturable absorption at high irradiance.