Two-photon absorption effect and the intra-molecular charge transfer of p-substituted stilbene-type pyridinium salts

The relationships between two-photon absorption (TPA) effect and excited state intra-molecular charge transfer (ICT) of p-substituted stilbene-type pyridinium salts have been investigated. Two-photon absorption cross section (δTPA) for all the compounds has been determined by open aperture Z-scanning technique, while two-photon pumped (TPP) up-converted lasing efficiencies (η) and optical limiting behavior have been measured by two-channel energy-meter, pumped by a mode locked Nd: YAG ps laser. Streak camera was used to record two-photon induced fluorescence and the fluorescence lifetimes. The experimental and calculated results have shown that the excited state larger intra-molecular charge transfer, in the excited state characterized by the charge density difference between the ground state (S0) and the first excited state (S1), has contributed to enhancing TPA cross section and may result in better optical limiting effect. And high TPP up-converted lasing efficiency is related to not only the δTPA value, but also the lifetime of two-photon induced fluorescence, etc.