| In this dissertation we present a new method to distinguish between nonlocal (thermal lens effect) and local (photoisomerization) optical response with modified time-dependent Z-scan (TZ-scan). In our experiments, two dye-doped polymers are used under similar conditions to illustrate the difference of a local and a nonlocal response. We find that photoisomerization in short-time regime can delay the onset of the thermal lens effect by means of energy storage within the molecules. |
