Structural and morphological properties of Co-doped SnO2 nanoparticles and their third order NLO response in PMMA thin films
摘要
In this study, Cobalt doped SnO2 nanoparticles with different dopant concentrations (1, 2 and 5 mol%) were prepared by using the hydrothermal route and embedded in a PMMA matrix to investigate their third order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. The synthesized samples were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) to uncover their structural and morphological details. XRD and Raman analysis confirm the formation of phase-pure tetragonal rutile SnO2 and successful incorporation of Co ions in SnO2 lattice. The results reveal a reduction in crystallite size with increasing Co concentration, accompanied by a systematic red shift in the UV–Vis absorption edge. The third order NLO properties were evaluated using the open and closed aperture Z-scan technique using a linearly polarized He–Ne laser operating at a wavelength of 632.8 nm with an output power of 10 mW. The Co-doped SnO2-PMMA nanocomposites exhibit significantly enhanced third order NLO responses compared to undoped SnO2-PMMA nanocomposites, demonstrating their potential for photonics applications.