Adjusting the nonlinear absorption of a CdTe thin film under electron beam irradiation

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p> The morphological characterization and the measurements of the nonlinear absorption of CdTe thin films using 1030 nm and 515 nm, 200 fs pulses are reported. The original film and the film irradiated by an electron beam are analyzed. The original film having 1 at% Cd superstoichiometry demonstrated transformation of nonlinear absorption from two-photon absorption(2 PA) to the competition of the latter process and saturable absorption (SA) under the variation of 1030 nm pulse energy. The film irradiated at a 10 <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> electrons/cm <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> fluence of electron beam did not show the SA while demonstrating the enhanced 2 PA. At 515 nm, the SA in the original film was followed by 2 PA, while the irradiated films demonstrated an enhanced SA. The modifications of absorbance and XRD of the CdTe film irradiated by electron beam, resulting in the enhancement of the nonlinear absorption at different wavelengths of the probe pulses, are discussed. </jats:p>