{"paper":{"title":"Pitchfork Bifurcation and Zharov Splitting in Nonlinear Mid-infrared Photothermal Spectroscopy in a liquid crystal using a Quantum Cascade Laser","license":"http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/","headline":"","cross_cats":[],"primary_cat":"physics.optics","authors_text":"Alket Mertiri, Hatice Altug, J. Mertz, L. D. Ziegler, M. K. Hong, P. Mehta, Shyamsunder Erramilli","submitted_at":"2013-10-01T02:27:03Z","abstract_excerpt":"We report on the mid-infrared nonlinear photothermal spectrum of the neat liquid crystal 4-Octyl-4'-Cyanobiphenyl (8CB) using a tunable Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL). The nonequilibrium steady state characterized by the nonlinear photothermal infrared response undergoes a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation. The bifurcation, observed in heterodyne two-color pump-probe detection, leads to ultrasharp nonlinear infrared spectra similar to those reported in the visible region. A systematic study of the peak splitting as function of absorbed infrared power shows the bifurcation has a critical exponen"},"claims":{"count":0,"items":[],"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"source":{"id":"1310.0123","kind":"arxiv","version":1},"verdict":{"id":null,"model_set":{},"created_at":null,"strongest_claim":"","one_line_summary":"","pipeline_version":null,"weakest_assumption":"","pith_extraction_headline":""},"references":{"count":0,"sample":[],"resolved_work":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57","internal_anchors":0},"formal_canon":{"evidence_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"author_claims":{"count":0,"strong_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"builder_version":"pith-number-builder-2026-05-17-v1"}