Electro-optic Kerr effect in n-alkane solutions

Abstract

The electro-optic Kerr constant of the n-alkanes between n-hexane and n-hexadecane has been measured in carbon tetrachloride solution as a function of n-alkane concentration.

These solution Kerr constants have been used with depolarized light scattering data from n-alkanes in the same solvent to obtain n-alkane mean second molecular hyperpolarizabilities which compare well with the same quantity measured in the pure liquid state. Solution Kerr constants over the complete concentration range show that the mean second molecular hyperpolarizability of the solvent and solute molecule remain independent of concentration within experimental error.

The mean second molecular hyperpolarizability of carbon tetrachloride in the pure liquid state is shown to agree closely with the gas value and with a direct measurement of the same value using picosecond light pulses.