Investigation on the structural and nonlinear optical properties of Pt doped TiO₂ nanoparticles

Graphical abstract: The open aperture Z-scan traces of Pt doped TiO₂ nanoparticles at different Pt concentrations were carried out at an irradiation wavelength of 532 nm. It was numerically found that, two photon absorption (TPA) type process gives the best fit to the obtained open aperture Z-scan data. The nonlinear transmission was found to be of third order as it fits to a two-photon absorption. The optical limiting performances of nanoparticles were greatly enhanced with increased volume ratio of Pt. Increasing particle size reduced the limiting threshold and enhanced the optical limiting performance. - Highlights: • Pt doped TiO₂ nanoparticles with different concentrations of Pt have been synthesized by sol–gel method. • The average fluorescence lifetime decreases as the volume fraction of Pt dopant increases. • The effects of Pt content on the optical limiting property were investigated by open aperture Z-scan measurements done at 532 nm using 5 ns laser pulses. • The values of the third-order nonlinearities of nanoparticles are interesting from the application point of view which could be used as a potential candidate for the application of nonlinear optical device. - Abstract: Pt doped TiO₂ nanoparticles with different concentrations of Pt were prepared by sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study reveals that the samples have a homogeneous anatase phase tetragonal system and the lattice parameter analysis indicates that Pt ions substitute into the lattice of TiO₂. The addition of dopant increases the growth of TiO₂ grains, agglomerates them and shifts the absorption band of TiO₂ from ultraviolet to visible region. The incorporation of Pt in TiO₂ is also confirmed by fluorescence quenching and the fluorescence lifetime decreases as the volume fraction of Pt dopant increases. Open aperture Z-scan measurements done at 532 nm using 7 ns laser pulses show nonlinear absorption which arises from an effective two photon absorption process. The nonlinear optical properties are characterized by using fluence dependent transmittance measurements in order to reveal the optical limiting effects. It is found that the optical limiting performances of nanoparticles were greatly enhanced with increased concentration of Pt