Simple measurement of nonlinear refraction by using a single pulse and beam

A very simple technique, by which both the magnitude and the sign of nonlinear refraction can be determined through using only one single pulse and beam with a phase object, is presented. Using this technique, only the transmittance of an aperture in the far field is investigated. We study the nonlinear refraction of the carbon disulfide by using the presented technique with 21 ps pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm as a test.