title: Optical power limiting with photoinduced anisotropy of azobenzene films.
abstract: We study the power-limiting properties of photoanisotropic azobenzene films with low-power laser. The trans-cis photoisomerization and molecular reorientation of azobenzene molecules induced by polarized laser beams result in intensity-dependent anisotropic effects. Consequently, the transmittance of the input beam that passes through the film between two crossed polarizers becomes enhanced at low intensities and clamped at high intensities. The limiting threshold is adjustable by changing the intensity of excitation beam.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts 02125, USA.
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Reji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: Ramesh B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Laghumavarapu
authors.forename: Janakriam
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Devulapalli
authors.forename: Devulapalli V G L N
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Kimball
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Barry S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: DeCristofano