Measurement of nonlinear refractive indices of bulk and liquid crystals by nonlinear chirped interferometry

The nonlinear refractive indices (n₂) of a selection of bulk (LiB₃O₅, KTiOAsO₄, MgO:LiNbO₃, LiGaS₂, ZnSe) and liquid (E7, MLC2132) crystals are measured at 1030 nm in the sub-picosecond regime (200 fs) by nonlinear chirped interferometry. The reported values provide key parameters for the design of near- to mid-infrared parametric sources, as well as all-optical delay lines.