Organic nanocrystals in sol-gel glasses for photonic applications

Summary form only. We have prepared a new type of nanocomposite hybrid organo-mineral material that is composed of organic nanocrystals embedded in sol-gel glasses. Organic molecules display a large variety of optical properties (e.g. nonlinearities, fluorescence, photorefractive, photochromism, or photomagnetism). Our technique makes it possible to include these molecules in a solid inorganic media which affords easy elaboration, cutting and polishing, mechanical stability and low cost. We have demonstrated the interest of these new materials for optical power limiting devices.