Optical limiting of high-repetition-rate laser pulses by carbon nanofibers suspended in polydimethylsiloxane

The optical limiting (OL) behavior of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was studied and compared with that of CNFs in water, and polyhedral multi-shell fullerene-like nanostructures (PMFNs) also in water. It was shown that when switching from single-shot to pulse-periodic regime of laser pulses (10 Hz), the CNF in PDMS suspension retains its OL characteristics, while in the aqueous suspensions, considerable degradation of OL characteristics is observed. It was also observed that a powerful laser pulse causes the CNF in PDMS suspension to become opaque for at least three seconds, while such a pulse brings out a bleaching effect in aqueous PMFN and CNF suspensions. The processes of OL degradation in aqueous suspensions, bleaching and darkening of the studied materials are discussed herein.