Nonlinear optical properties of two oxazine dyes in aqueous solution and polyacrylamide hydrogel using single beam Z-scan

Abstract The nonlinear optical properties of the two oxazine dyes, i.e. oxazine 720 (OX720) and oxazine 750 (OX750), in aqueous solution and in polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAA) matrix were studied by Z-scan technique using CW He–Ne laser at 632.8 nm. All the polymeric and aqueous samples showed a negative nonlinearity and large nonlinear refractive index of the order of 10 −8  cm 2 /W. The concentration-dependent nonlinear refractive index was also investigated. In the case of PAA–dye systems, two types of transit (fast) and steady state (slow) nonlinear effects were observed. It is believed that these effects are due to the thermo-optical induced refractive index gradient and a concentration gradient induced by a temperature gradient present in a medium.