Electrostrictive birefringence in isotropic solids induced by high-intensity laser radiation

Analytic expressions are derived for the deformations electrostrictively induced by an elliptically polarized axisymmetric laser beam. The expression for the force allows not only for the bulk striction but also for the shear deformation. It is shown that the electrostrictive change in the refractive index depends on the beam polarization, is not axisymmetric, and induces birefringence and rotation of the axes of the optical indicatrix. This must be taken into account in the self-focusing theory and in measurements of the Kerr constants of solids.