DYNAMICS OF REVERSE SATURABLE ABSORPTION AND ALL-OPTICAL SWITCHING INC-60

The dynamic processes of reverse saturable absorption (RSA) in a solut ion Of C60 are studied in detail by use of rate equations and the ligh t-propagation equation for a five-energy-level model. The RSA experime ntal results for C60 in toluene solution with a nanosecond-picosecond Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm are consistent with the theoretical simulations . Effects of sample concentration and thickness on RSA and contributio ns of the singlet and triplet excited states to RSA for various laser- pulse widths and wavelengths are also analyzed. Finally, an all-optica l switch based on excited-state nonlinear absorption and the pump-prob e technique is implemented.