Nanosized gold has attracted interest recently because of its nonlinear optical polarizability [1], which is perhaps caused by the quantum confinement of the metal's electron cloud. When irradiated with light above a certain threshold power, the optical polarizability deviates from the usual linear dependence on that power. By incorporating these particles into a clear polymer matrix, "quantum dots" are obtained in a readily processable form. This optical nonlinearity can be exploited to make materials for photonics and electro-optics.
展开▼
