Self-focusing in two-color collinear optical Kerr measurements

We performed the femtosecond two-color collinear optical Kerr shutter (OKS) measurements in a thick Kerr medium. The time-resolved OKS signals showed a multi-peak structure and a large broadening with respect to that for non-collinear. By measuring the time-resolved OKS signals in the sample at different powers, we demonstrated that the abnormal profile of the OKS signals was mainly attributed to self-focusing and re-focusing of the pump beam in the Kerr medium and the group velocity difference between the pump and the probe beams.