Nonlinear Optical Response of Noble Metal Nanoparticles

The special nonlinear optical response of noble metal nanoparticles (MNPs) when exposed to intense laser radiation has induced novel applications in nonlinear spectroscopy, optoelectronics, and optical switchers and limiters. In this chapter, recent results on the nonlinear optical properties of MNPs (including gold, silver, palladium, and platinum) have been discussed. Some specific optical nonlinear properties, such as nonlinear refraction, saturable absorption and reverse saturable absorption, two-photon absorption, and optical limiting, for femtosecond, picosecond, and nanosecond laser pulses, have been covered.