Nonlinear optical properties and phase-relaxation processes in single-walled carbon nanotubes

We have investigated third-order nonlinear optical properties of bundled and isolated semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by means of Z-scan method, pump–probe method, and two-beam time-resolved degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) method. The figures of merit Im χ(3)/α in both bundled and isolated SWNTs samples were found to be enhanced with increasing tube diameter. The measured Im χ(3)/α value in the bundled SWNTs was an order of magnitude smaller than that in the isolated SWNTs. Both population relaxation time T1 and phase-relaxation time T2 for bundled samples were smaller than those in the isolated samples. These experimental results can be explained by an increase in nonradiative recombination rate and phase-relaxation rate in the bundled sample. The phase-relaxation time T2 is considered to have a significant role in the enhancement of Im χ(3)/α.