Coherent transient optical Kerr effect in liquids C/sub 2/H/sub 4/Cl/sub 2/ and C/sub 2/H/sub 4/Br/sub 2/

Transient optical Kerr effect of liquids C/sub 2/H/sub 4/Cl/sub 2/ and C/sub 2/H/sub 4/Br/sub 2/ is studied with trains of 40-femtosecond laser pulses in the pump/delayed-probe experiment. Around delay zero coherent coupling and electronic Kerr signals are observed. Persisting after delay zero are Kerr signals arising from the torsional motion and other intramolecular vibrations of the trans and gauche conformations.