Femtosecond spectroscopy of optical excitations in single-walled carbon nanotubes: evidence for exciton-exciton annihilation.

Frequency-resolved femtosecond transient absorption spectra and kinetics measured by optical excitation of the second and first electronic transitions of the (8,3) single-walled carbon nanotube species reveal a unique mutual response between these transitions. Based on the analysis of the spectra, kinetics, and their distinct amplitude dependence on the pump intensity observed at these transitions, we conclude that these observations originate from both the excitonic origin of the spectrum and nonlinear exciton annihilation.