Abstract

Recently, many interesting experiments have been performed with spatial dark solitons in liquids with a thermal nonlinearity.¹ However, both theoretical analysis and computer simulation of the results obtained were accomplished on the basis of a simple model of a local Kerr-like third-order optical nonlinearity. Here we present what we believe to be the first results on a detailed experimental investigation of the Z- scan technique in these materials and their analysis on the basis of a more realistic model of a steady-state thermal nonlinearity.

© 1994 Optical Society of America