Nonlinear optical absorption studies of sol–gel derived Yttrium Iron Garnet (Y3Fe5O12) nanoparticles by Z-scan technique

Sol–gel synthesized Yttrium Iron Garnet (Y3Fe5O12) nanoparticles were subjected to open aperture Z-scan studies in order to investigate the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of these materials. The investigations were carried out using a Q-switched resonant Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 532 nm with different laser powers. Strong reverse saturable absorption (RSA) has been found when the sample is irradiated by the laser pulse of 10 Hz. The studies show that the material is highly nonlinear, which makes it useful for optical limiting applications.