Optical saturation thermal lens spectrometry in non-polar solvents

A model for thermal lens spectrometry (TLS) in partial optical saturation conditions which was previously applied to polar solutes in aqueous media is now checked with non-polar organic dyes and metal dithizonates in carbon tetrachloride. Some literature data are also examined. Most data can be consistently explained on the basis of the molecular structures, the sensitivity increasing with the capability of the solute to rapidly communicate the absorbed energy to the solvent molecules.