Photoinduced optical activity of C70 fullerene in organic solvents

We have experimentally studied for the first time the effect of photoinduced rotation of the plane of polarization for pulsed laser radiation in solutions of C 70 fullerene in organic solvents and their mixtures. We have shown that the effect is observed for elliptical polarization of the laser radiation and is absent for linear polarization. We present the results of a study of the nonlinear optical characteristics of the C 70 solutions. We discuss the physical mechanisms by which nonlinear gyrotropy is induced in solutions.