Z-scan technique

In nonlinear optics z-scan technique is used to measure the non-linear index n₂ (Kerr nonlinearity) and the non-linear absorption coefficient Δα via the "closed" and "open" methods, respectively. As nonlinear absorption can affect the measurement of the non-linear index, the open method is typically used in conjunction with the closed method to correct the calculated value. For measuring the real part of the nonlinear refractive index, the z-scan setup is used in its closed-aperture form. In this form, since the nonlinear material reacts like a weak z-dependent lens, the far-field aperture makes it possible to detect the small beam distortions in the original beam. Since the focusing power of this weak nonlinear lens depends on the nonlinear refractive index,^[1] it would be possible to extract its value by analyzing the z-dependent data acquired by the detector and by cautiously interpreting them using an appropriate theory.^[2] To measure the imaginary part of the nonlinear refractive index, or the nonlinear absorption coefficient, the z-scan setup is used in its open-aperture form. In open-aperture measurements, the far-field aperture is removed and the whole signal is measured by the detector. By measuring the whole signal, the beam small distortions become insignificant and the z-dependent signal variation is due to the nonlinear absorption entirely. Despite its simplicity, in many cases, the original z-scan theory is not completely accurate, e.g. when the investigated sample has inhomogeneous optical nonlinear properties,^[3] or when the nonlinear medium response to laser radiation is nonlocal in space. Whenever the laser induced nonlinear response at a certain point of the medium is not solely determined by the laser intensity at that point, but also depends on the laser intensity in the surrounding regions, it will be called a nonlocal nonlinear optical response. Generally, a variety of mechanisms may contribute to the nonlinearity, some of which may be nonlocal. For instance, when the nonlinear medium is dispersed inside a dielectric solution, reorientation of the dipoles (permanent or induced molecular dipoles) as a result of the optical field action is nonlocal in space and changes the electric field experienced by the nonlinear medium. The nonlocal z-scan theory,^[4] can be used for systematically analyzing the role of various mechanisms in producing the nonlocal nonlinear response of different materials.