Accurate measurement of nonlinear ellipse rotation using a phase-sensitive method

• DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.025530
• Publication Date: 2014-10-13T18:23:21Z
• Authors: M. L. Miguez; E. C. Barbano; S. C. Zilio; L. Misoguti
• Keywords: Optics and Photonics; Amplifiers, Electronic; Nonlinear Dynamics; Optical Phenomena; Rotation; 0103 physical sciences; Silicon Dioxide; 01 natural sciences

We report on the accurate measurement of nonlinear ellipse rotation (NER) by means of a phase-sensitive method employing a dual-phase lock-in. The magnitudes and signs of pure refractive electronic nonlinearities of silica and BK7 were determined with this new method using 150 femtosecond (fs) laser pulses at 775 nm. Experimental and theoretical analyses of the NER signal were carried out and the results were compared to those obtained with the Z-scan technique.