OPTICALLY INDUCED KERR-CONSTANTS FOR A HOMOLOGOUS SERIES OF ALK-1-ENES AND 3 ALKADIENES

Measurements are reported of the laser-induced Kerr effect for the hom ologous series of alk-1-enes up to the icosene member. The effect was induced with the electric vector of an Nd:YAG laser beam, pulsed in th e nanosecond timescale and operating at either 1064 nm or 532 nm wavel ength. On average, values for 532 nm wavelength are some 50% higher th an results for 1064 nm. The first recorded measurements on three alkad ienes are also reported using an inducing wavelength of 1064 nm. These data indicate that separation of the unsaturated bonds could be an im portant factor in the magnitude of the effect.