Investigation of picosecond optical nonlinearity in porphyrin metal complexes derivatives

Porphyrin metal complex derivatives were experimentally studied using the Z -scan technique and the optical Kerr gate method with picosecond pulses at 532 nm. The sign and magnitude of the nonlinear refraction and nonlinear ab sorption were determined for a negatively charged meso-tetrakis( p-sulfonat ophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS4) and a positively charged meso-tetrakis(4-N-methyl -pyridiniumyl)porphyrin (TMPyP) in their free-base forms and their Fe(III) and Mn(III) complexes. The results were phenomenologically understood and t he origin of the nonlinearity was inferred. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. AU rights reserved.