Single-wall carbon nanotubes for optical limiting

We report on the non-linear optical transmittance of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in a water/surfactant suspension. Optical limiting is observed at low-energy thresholds both in the Visible and near-infrared. We find small non-linear thresholds and large optical densities that match or overpass the performances of other good optical limiters (C-60 and carbon black) both in the visible and in the near-infrared, which makes SWNT very promising systems for broadband optical limiting. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.