Optical limiting behaviour of the water-soluble C-60/gamma-cyclodextrin complex

The third-order nonlinear optical response of the water-soluble inclusion c omplex consisting of C-60 incorporated in gamma-cyclodextrin was examined e mploying the z-scan technique. Using 532 nm, 10 ns laser pulses, significan t optical limiting action was observed. the effect being slightly lower tha n that of pure C-60 diluted in toluene. Ageing of the C-60/gamma-cyclodextr in-water solution results in the formation of aggregates that enhance the o ptical limiting action by a factor of almost two. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.