Investigation of nitrogen plasma effect on the nonlinear optical properties of PMMA

Effects of low power direct current nitrogen plasma on linear and nonlinear optical properties of red BS dye-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film are studied employing different optical techniques. From spectrometry data, it is shown that applying plasma in such a low range of power does not affect the linear absorption coefficient, linear refractive index, and optical bandgap of this dye-doped polymer; however, nonlinear parameters are changed. Experiments are performed using the second harmonic of a continuous Nd-Yag laser beam at a 532-nm wavelength and 20-mW power. The effect of nonlinear refractive index of red BS dye-doped PMMA film in broadening the laser beam is observed. The optical bleaching behavior is investigated by measurement of the intensity of laser beam through the sample. Its third-order nonlinearity is measured using close and open Z-scan data. Nonlinear absorption coefficient and refractive index, as well as real and imaginary parts of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ3, are changed significantly due to plasma treatment.