Abstract

We present a simple yet highly sensitive single-beam experimental technique for the determination of both the sign and magnitude of n₂. The sample is moved along the z direction of a focused Gaussian beam while the repetitively pulsed laser energy is held fixed. The resultant plot of transmittance through an aperture in the far field yields a dispersion-shaped curve from which n₂ is easily calculated. A transmittance change of 1% corresponds to a phase distortion of ≃ λ/250. We demonstrate this method on several materials using both CO₂ and Nd:YAG laser pulses.

© 1989 Optical Society of America

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