Keywords
Carbon disulfide, Refractive index, Z scan
Abstract
The intensity dependent refractive index change of a medium is frequently described in terms of the product n₂ · I where n₂ is the nonlinear refractive index and I the light intensity. The nonlinear refractive index is often treated as constant which is a reasonable assumption if the light interacts only with bound electrons. In the case of carbon disulfide (CS₂) however, nuclear motions contribute to n₂. These motions occur on the sub picosecond time scale and thus become especially relevant for ultrashort laser pulses. The neat liquid CS₂ is studied because it exhibits a large nonlinear refractive index in comparison to other liquids. Therefore, it is employed in optical switching, optical limiting, and beam filamentation applications. This thesis presents effective n₂ values for Gaussian shaped linearly polarized pulses with central wavelength at [lambda]= 700nm. A theoretical model describing the time evolution of the material response is applied to distinguish between the instantaneous electronic, the ultrafast nuclear and the slow nuclear origins of the nonlinear refractive index. Moreover, the tensor nature of the material response function is studied by means of circularly polarized light. The relative magnitudes of bound electronic and nuclear contributions to n₂ are experimentally determined. Eventually, the dispersion of the instantaneous electronic response is measured in the spectral range between 390nm and 1064nm.
Notes
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Graduation Date
2011
Semester
Summer
Advisor
VanStryland, Eric
Degree
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Optics and Photonics
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
CFE0004052
URL
http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0004052
Language
English
Release Date
August 2011
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Access Status
Masters Thesis (Open Access)
STARS Citation
Seidel, Marcus, "Characterization of the Nonlinear Refractive Index of Carbon Disulfide Over an Extended Spectral and Temporal Range" (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 6667.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/6667