Broadband Optical Limiting and CCD Sensor Protection From Nanosecond-Pulsed Laser Threat With Reverse Saturable Absorbers

We study in detail the linear and nonlinear optical properties of a heavy metal substituted naphthalocyanine reverse saturable absorber (RSA). The excited states involved in the RSA process under nanosecond pulsed laser excitation in the visible are fully characterized. We then demonstrate that this material can be used as an efficient optical limiter for protecting silicium CCD arrays from destruction due to nanosecond-pulsed laser irradiation in the visible.