Solvent dependent nonlinear refraction in organic dye solution

Nonlinear refraction in rhodamine-B (Rh-B) organic dye solution at 510.6 nm was studied using the Z-scan technique with 40 ns laser pulses from a copp er vapor laser. The observed nonlinear refraction is of thermal origin resu lting from nonradiative energy transfer from the dye molecules to the solve nt molecules and is therefore strongly dependent on the thermal properties of the solvent. Using this scheme, the thermal properties of an aqueous dye solution were compared, with that using water-surfactant mixture as the so lvent. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)06006-0].