Nonlinear refraction in aqueous colloidal gold

Abstract Nonlinear refraction in aqueous colloidal gold at 527 nm was studied using the z -scan technique. While a z -scan with a 35 ns laser showed a large negative lensing, a z -scan with a 4 ps laser showed no measurable refraction. The observed nonlinear refraction is shown to be of thermal origin resulting from energy transfer from gold particles to the water molecules.

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