Affirming nonlinear optical coefficient constancy from z-scan measurement

Goodness of fit is demonstrated for theoretical calculation of z-scan data based on beams propagating in the nonlinear medium and the Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction integral in experiments with high nonlinear refraction and absorption. The constancy of nonlinear optical parameters is achieved regardless of sample thickness and laser intensity, which clarifies the physical significance of optical parameters. We have obtained gamma = 2.0 x 10(-19) m(2)/W and beta = 5.0 x 10(-13) m/W for carbon disulfide excited by a pulsed laser at 800 nm with pulse duration of 35 fs, which are independent of sample thickness and laser intensity. Affirming constancy of the extracted parameters to the incident light intensity may become a practice to verify the goodness of the z-scan experiment.