Click chemistry functionalization improving the wideband optical-limiting performance of fullerene derivatives

Abstract

A novel kind of monodonor–bisacceptor (D–A–A) C60 charge-transfer complex was synthesized by the high-yielding [2+2] click chemistry reaction and the Prato reaction. Both electrochemical and UV-vis spectra studies were carried out and they proved that the side groups of the fullerene derivatives played an important role in the energy gaps, and also affected the third-order non-linear optical response. The experimental investigation on the third-order non-linear optical phenomena of the fullerene derivatives was measured using the Z-scan technique at different wavelengths (532 nm and 1064 nm). All the compounds exhibited very special non-linear optical properties when pumped by 21 ps pulses at 532 nm which suggested that there were two different types of reversible photo-isomerization. The optical-limiting performance has also been studied which proved indirectly the mechanism models of the reversible photo-isomerization.