Time-resolved pump-probe system based on a nonlinear imaging technique with phase object

A nonlinear imaging technique with phase object, which can deduce nonlinear absorption and refraction coefficients by single laser-shot exposure, is expanded to a time-resolved pump-probe system by introducing a pump beam with a variable temporal delay. This new system, in which both degenerate and nondegenerate pump and probe beams in any polarization states can be used, can simultaneously measure dynamic nonlinear absorption and refraction conveniently. In addition, the sensitivity of this new pump-probe system is more than twice that of the Z-scan-based system. The semiconductor ZnSe is used to demonstrate this system. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.