Dynamics of the self-interaction of picosecond light pulses in semiconducting cadmium suifide

The dynamics of the self-interaction of picosecond laser pulses in semiconducting crystals was investigated for the first time. A "nonlinear lens" method was analyzed theoretically allowing for diffraction and then this method was used in direct measurements of the nonlinearity of the anisotropy of the refractive index of CdS single crystals excited with picosecond light pulses.