Nonlinear optical fiber core materials for optical limiting application

Several liquid phase liquid crystals and liquids are found to possess broadband nonlinear absorption characteristics suitable for optical limiting applications. Using these liquids as fiber waveguiding cores, we have developed fiber arrays that provide excellent limiting performance characteristics against frequency agile visible laser pulses in the nanosecond - picosecond time scale. These fiber arrays are compact, low cost/weight, and are capable of transmitting high quality images throughout the entire visible spectrum.