Enhancement of ultrafast supercontinuum generation in water by the addition of Zn^2+ and K^+ cations

Nonlinear-optical properties of various salts and water solutions were measured using an 8-psec laser pulse at 530 nm. It was found that the optical Kerr effect and supercontinuum signals were several times larger in saline water than in pure water. The optical Kerr effect signals from saturated aqueous solutions of ZnCl(2) were about 35 times greater, and the self-phase-modulation signals from saturated aqueous solutions of K(2)ZnCl(4) were about 10 times greater.