Preparation and nonlinear optical properties of LiCaBO3-Ag2O and LiCaBO3-Gd2O3-Ag2O borate glasses with Ag nanoparticles

The preparation and results of investigations of nonlinear optical properties of LiCaBO3–Ag2O and LiCaBO3–Gd2O3–Ag2O glasses with Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) formed by thermal treatment in vacuum and in air are presented. The intensive plasmon absorption Ag NPs in optical transmission spectra were observed. Nonlinear optical properties of glasses by single‐beam Z‐scan technique were investigated: it was ascertained an influence of Ag NPs on their nonlinear optical properties, in particular, changes of nonlinear refractive index n2, and nonlinear absorption coefficient β.