Determination of two-photon absorption cross sections of photosensitizers and its implications for two-photon polymerization.

We report two-photon absorption cross sections and two-photon excited fluorescence of the photosensitizer 4,4'-Bis(diethylamino)benzophenon and thioxanthone using a femtosecond laser delivering pulses of wavelength 800 nm and 150 fs duration at rates of 1 kHz. Values for the two-photon absorption cross section are derived by comparing the fluorescence signals excited by wavelengths of 800 and 400 nm using a second-harmonic generator. Fluorophore fluorescence intensities dependence with quadratic illumination laser power showed no significant deviation from the two-photon absorption process. Implications of these cross-section measurements for two-photon polymerization are discussed.