OPTICAL POWER LIMITING OF FULLERENES

Optical power limiting processes in C60 solutions have been measured i n a double-pass geometry designed to produce high beam attenuation. Ba sed on the concentration of C60 and measured attenuation of laser flue nce, it was found that, at high intensities, more than 100 visible (53 2 nm) photons per C60 molecule can be absorbed during a single 7-nanos econd laser pulse. The requisite features of such efficacious attenuat ion mechanisms are briefly discussed and a model meeting the requireme nts is described.