Self-induced nonlinear polarization change of femtosecond laser pulse propagation in an optically isotropic glass

The self-induced polarization change of femtosecond laser pulses passing through an isotropic optical glass is investigated. It is shown that supercontinuum generations from femtosecond lasers tend to be identical for the incident beam with different polarizations ranging from a large-ellipticity to a linear state when the incident laser power increases. Theoretical analysis reveals that a transient intensity-dependent birefringence is induced in the glass sample by the laser pulse itself, and the accumulated nonlinear phase shift leads to a change in polarization ellipticity. Simulation results are consistent with the experimental observations.