Ultrafast optical kerr effect in liquids and solids.

In the optical Kerr effect, the electric field of light incident on a transparent sample induces an anisotropic refractive index, which is measured by its effect on the passage of a second light beam. The advent of lasers powerful enough to generate a measurable effect, and which can be pulsed on femtosecond time scales, has made the optical Kerr effect into a practical technology for investigating the molecular structure and interactions of condensed systems such as pure liquids, liquid solutions, and plastic crystals.