Determination of nonlinear optical characteristics of transparent materials using single laser pulses

A new method of express analysis of nonlinear optical properties of materials by determining their nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption upon irradiation by a single laser pulse is proposed. The nonlinear optical characteristics of media are determined based on an analysis of variations in the spatial distribution of radiation focused by a cylindrical lens and passed through the medium. The method proposed is tested by the example of optical nonlinearities of CS₂.