Ultrafast imaging of photoinduced nonlinear response in transparent materials using femtosecond optical polarigraphy technique

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Using a femtosecond time-resolved optical polarigraphy (FTOP) imaging technique, we measured the ultrafast propagation dynamics of femtosecond laser pulses in transparent materials, CS2 and fused silica, respectively. The FTOP images showed different profiles in these two media due to their different nonlinear response time. Based on the FTOP technique, a femtosecond time-resolved single-shot optical Kerr effect measurement was demonstrated, which can be accomplished using a single-laser shot and has a time resolution of about 100 fs. The polarization dependence of the image intensity indicated that the FTOP images were mainly induced by the transient birefringence effect induced by the pump pulse.