EXPERIMENT-V

Eletrooptic Effect

Aim: To study the Electrooptic effect in LiNbO3 crystal

Apparatus: A He-Ne laser, pair of polariser with graduated scales, LiNbO3 crystal in a
holder, photodetector, digital multimeter / power meter.

Introduction:
Eletrooptics Modulator:
The change in the refractive index induced in a crystal on the application of an electric
field which affects the state of polarization of a light beam on propagation through a
cryats is known as electrooptic effect. If the changes in the refractive indices are
proportional to the applied electric field, it is called as Pockel effect or linear
electrooptics effect. If the changes in the refractive index are proportional to the square of
the applied voltage, the effect in known as Kerr effect or quadratic electrooptics effect.
In this section we will only discuss about the Pockel effect.
The electrooptic effect is employed in making the electrooptic modulator.
Operation of electrooptic modulators is based on the principle of induced birefringence.
Pockels cell is such device which can produce controllable birefringence by appling
voltage to the cell. The cell contains uniaxial crystal, which becomes biaxial when
electric field is applied. If new axes induced by the applied electric field are at 45 to the
plane of polarization of the incident beam, the incident beam is split into two equal
orthagonally polarized components. They propagate in a crystal with different velocities
because of induced different refraction indexes. Induced birefringence n= (ne-no) is
proportional to the applied electric field and on the crystal length l it gives controlled
phase retardation between these components, which is used for the incident beam

nl

modulation where: - wavelength of the optical beam.

where: - wavelength of the optical beam. Voltage sensitivity of the Pockels cell is given
by half-wave voltage (V/2). This is the voltage required for phase retardation of 180o.
Often used quarter wave voltage equals V/4 = V /2 and it is voltage required for
= 90o.
There are only two basic designs of Pockels cells:
Pockels cell with longitudinal electrooptic effect, employing a crystal in which electric
field is applied along the direction of the optical beam. Pockels cell with transverse
electrooptic effect, utilizing a crystal in which electric field is perperdicular to the

direction of the optical beam.For this type of modulator the half-wave voltage is
inversaly proportional to the crystal length and directly proportional to the distance
between electrodes.
Lithiumniobate Pockels cells
The Lithiumniobate Pockels Cells are used in the laser applications for medicine,
industry and research. The Pockels cells are specified for Q-switch applications inside a
laser resonator or for modulating of a laser beam outside the resonator.
Lithiumniobate is a very suitable crystal for the use in Pockel Cells because of its special
properties. The most important physical characteristics are the large electrooptical
coefficient, the transparency in the spectral range from 400nm up to 4500nm, and a high
melting point of 1250oC. Because of the hardness and insolubility the crystal does not
need any additional protection.

Data of the LiNbO3 Pockels Cells

Material

LiNbO3

Spectral range

400nm 4500 nm

Transmission with AR coating:

98 %

Rise time:

app. 2 ns

Theory:
Crystal Optics
In an anisotropic dielectric media D = o E ..(1)
The dielectric tensor
11 12 13

= 21 22 23 (2)

31 32 33
Rotate the tensor such that (x,y,z) becomes the principal axes (diagonalisation)

= o
2
(3)

For a uniaxial crystal 1 = 2 . For a biaxial crystal 1 , 2, 3 all are different.

The Optical indicatrix or Index of ellipsoid
Represent tensor as an ellipsoid
x2 y2 z2
+
+
=1
a2 b2 c2
2

which can be written as

( x,

a 2

y, z )

x

y = 1
c 2 z

0 E = 1 D ..(4)

i.e r.M .r = 1
Inverse of equation (1) 0 E = 1 D (5)
where
11

1
1
..(6)
=
2

1
3

Equation (5) can be written as D. 1 .D = 0 (7)

( D.E = 1 )
Rearrange
D 1 D
. .
= 1 (8)

where

= ( x, y, z )

Comparing equation (4) and (8) we get

1 = a 2 2 = b2 3 = c 2
The equation of ellipsoid becomes
x2 y2 z2
+
+
=1

Now replace 1 = n x2 2 = n y2
Then we get
x2 y2 z2
+
+
=1
n x2 n y2 n z2

3 = n z2

Theory of Electrooptics Effect

r
The linear change in the refractive indices due to electric field ( E ( E x , E y , E z ) ) in the
arbitrary direction
3
1
2 = rij E j
( x = 1, y = 2, z = 3 )..(9)
n i j =1
The index of ellipsoid can be written as
B11 x 2 + B22 y 2 + B33 z 2 + 2 B23 yz + B31 zx + B11 x 2 + B12 xy = 1 (10)

B 11 n 2
x

1
B
22
n y2

B 33 1
n z2

B 23

B 31
B
12

r11
r
21
r31
= r
41
r51

r61

r12
r22
r32
r42
r52
r62

r13
r23
r33

r43
r53

r63

Ex
E
y .(11)
E z

For LiNbO3 crystal: nx=ny=no and nz= ne . If the applied field is along the Y direction
then Ex=Ez=0 , Ey0 . So the Electrooptics tensor for the LiNbO3
1

B11 n 2
o

0 r22 r13
1
B 0
r22 r13
22
2

0
no
0
0
r33

1
E y .(12)
B33 2 = 0
r
0
51
0
ne

0
0
B23 r51

r
0
0

22

31

B12
Right hand side of the above equation can be simplified to
0 r22 E y + 0 r22 E y
0 + r E + 0 r E
22 y

22 y
0+0+0 0

=
.(13)
0 + r51 E y + 0 r51 E y
0+0+0 0

0 + 0 + 0 0
Comparing equation (12) and (13)
1
1
B11 2 = r22 E y or B11 = 2 r22 E y
no
no
1
B22 = 2 + r22 E y
no
1
B33 = 2
ne
B31 = B21 = 0

B23 = r51 E y
The propagation of light is in the Z direction, the index ellipsoid cross-section of X-Y
plane normal to Z. So put z=0. The we get
B11 x 2 + B22 y 2 + B12 xy = 1
Substituting the B-coefficients from the above equations
1

2 r22 E y x 2 + 2 + r22 E y y 2 = 1
no

no

or

(1 n r

2
o 22

Ey

2
o

) x + (1 + n r

2
o 22

2
o

Ey

)y

=1

or
x2

y2

=1
2
2

1
1

n02
n02
1
1
2
2
(1 no r22 E y )2
(1 + no r22 E y )2
The simplified form is
x2
y2
+
=1
2
2
1
1

no2 1 + no2 r22 E y

no2 1 no2 r22 E y
2

Assume that the change in refractive index due to the electric field n x = no + no and
n y = no no
2

2
Thus (no + n0 ) = no2 1 + no2 r22 E y
2

1
So we get no = no3 r22 E y
2
The components of the incidents electric fields
Ex =

Ey =

cos(t x ) where the phase x = k o zn x = k o no + no3 r22 E y z

2
2

Ei

Ei
2

cos(t y )

where the phase y = k o zn y = k o no no3 r22 E y z

2

The phase difference

= x y =

no z = k o z no3 r22 E y

or
V

= k o l no3 r22
d

For a half voltage = , z=l and k o =

which
2

3
o 22

l n r

V1

Thus the half voltage V 1 =

d
3
o

2r22 n l
and =632.8nm l=25mm; d=3.0mm.
2

. For LiNbO3 r22=3.410-12 m/V , no=2.297

X-axis

Y- axis
Analiser

Detector

Laser
Polariser

Optic Axis
(Z-axis)
Meter

Fig.5(a): Schematic diagram of an Electrooptic setup

V

EY

Incident light

Phase difference
between EX , EY

450
E
EX

Fig.5(b): Propagation of light through the crystal (Transverse EOP)

Procedure:
1. You will need a beam of plane polarised light from the He-Ne laser. Determine
the polarization of the laser light by placing a piece of sheet polarizer in the beam,
mounted on the angular rotation mount. Direct the beam emerging from the
polarizer into the power meter or detector with digital multimeter. Rotate the
polarizer through 3600 and observer the variation of the power meter. If the beam
is plane polarized, the reading of the power meter should decrease to zero at two
positions 1800 apart. At angles that are 900 from the positions where the intensity
is zero., the intensity will rise to a maximum. In this case, when the laser output is
plane polarized, it may be used as it is.
If the light passing through the polarizer does not decrease to zero at two positions
1800 apart, it is not plane polarized . It may be unpolarized(intensity does not
change as the polarizer is rotated) or partially polarized(intensity goes through
two minima 1800 apart, but the minima are greater than zero). Direct the beam
through the polarizer. The beam emerging should be plane polarized. Check it
again, using the sheet polarizer, to be sure.
2. Now arrange the electro-optic set up as shown Fig.5(a).
3. The first polarizer will not be required if the laser was originally plane polarized.
Carefully align the crystal in the holder so that the light beam passes accurately
along the axis of the device and emerges with minimum loss of intensity. Mount
the second polarizer (analyser) on an angular rotation mount so that the beam
passes through it and enters the detector with digital meter or power meter. Rotate
the analyzer until the light transmitted through it is at a minimum. The minimum
should be near zero.
4. Next connect the DC power supply to the electrical connectors on the case of the
crystal holder (Fig.5(b)). Turn on the power supply and gradually increase the
voltage from zero in steps of 200Volts. Observe the increase in the light reaching
the detector with digital meter or power meter. As you increase the voltage in
steps, record the voltage and the power meter/ digital multimeter set in dc voltage
mode) reading at each step. The power meter/ digital multimeter reading should
increase with increasing voltage at first. Then a maximum reading will be reached
and, with further increase in voltage, the power meter reading should begin to
decrease. When you have reached this point, you may terminate this part of the
measurement. The value of the voltage at which the power is maximum is the
half-wave voltage.
5. Plot the power meter/ digital multimeter reading as a function of the applied
voltage. The graph obtained is as shown.

10

Transmitted Intensity (a.u)

V
2

0
400

900

1400

Applied Voltage (V)

Fig.2(c): Variation of transmitted intensity as a function of applied voltage. (not to

the scale)

6. Determine the value of half-wave voltage (Fig.5(c)). Determine the excitation

ratio for the modulator. The extinction ratio is the power meter reading when the
applied voltage is equal to the half- wave voltage divided by the power meter
reading when the voltage is zero.
7. Use the plot of power versus applied voltage to derive the birefringence n as a
function of applied voltage. Use the equation:
2

n l
I t = I 0 Sin
where =

to determine n as a function of voltage V. Here Io is the meter reading at the half-wave

voltage V1/2, L is the length of the crystal , and l is the wavelength (632.8nm). Use the
value specified for the length of the crystal.
Questions
1. What is the electrooptic effect ? How can the amplitude of the signal be
modulated ?
2. What is the physical meaning of the half voltage V ?
3. A transverse electrooptic modulator with LiNbO3 crystal is operating at a
wavelength =550nm. The crystals has length l=3cm and width d=0.25cm. The
electrooptics coefficient (r22) and the refractive index (no) of the crystal are
3.410-12 m/V and 2.29 respectively. Calculate (a) the phase difference between
the emergent field components with applied voltage V=0, (b) the additional phase
difference between the emergent field components with V=200V, and (c) the halfwave voltage V for the crystal. (no=2.29,ne=2.20)

References:
1. Optical electronics, Yariv
2. Optical Physics, Lipson and Lipson (Cambridge University Press)
Optics, Hecht (Pearson Education Asia)