title: Determination of nonlinear refractive index in a Ta2O5 rib waveguide using self-phase modulation.
abstract: Self-phase modulation has been observed for ultrashort pulses of wavelength 800nm propagating through a 1 cm-long Ta2O5 rib waveguide. The associated nonlinear refractive index n2 was estimated to be 7.23x10-19 m2/W, which is higher than silica glass by more than one order of magnitude. Femtosecond time of flight measurements based on a Kerr shutter configuration show that the group velocity dispersion is small at a wavelength of 800 nm, confirming that dispersion may be neglected in the estimation of n2 so that a simplified theory can be used with good accuracy.
authors.forename: Chao-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perney
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Netti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finlayson
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baumberg