Nonlinear optical properties and laser applications of copper chalcogenide quantum dots in glass

Absorption saturation and picosecond pump-probe measurements on oxidized copper selenide quantum dots in sol-gel glasses were carried out. The bleaching relaxation time was found to be ∼300 ps. The saturation intensities were estimated to be 2.2 MW/cm 2 at 1.06 μm and 7 MW/cm 2 at 1.54 μm for Cu 2 Se and Cu 2+x Se-doped glasses, respectively. Passive Q-switching of 1.06, 1.34, and 1.54 μm solid state lasers with copper selenide-doped glasses as saturable absorbers were demonstrated.