Electro Optic Effect

Electro-optic effects refer to changes in the refractive index of a material

induced by the application of an external electric field, which therefore
"modulates" the optical properties; the applied field is not the electric field of
any light wave, but a separate external field. The presence of such a field
distorts the electron motions in (he atoms or molecules of the substance, or
distorts the crystal structure resulting in changes in the optical properties. The
frequency of the applied field has to be such that the field appears static over
the time scale it takes for the medium to change its properties, that is
respond, as well as for any light to cross the substance. The electro-optic
effects according to first and second order effects.

The refractive index of an electro-optic medium can be expressed as a

function of the applied electric field E.

n = n(E)

By Taylor Series expansion, the new refractive index n is

n= no + a1E + a2E2+ …..

Neglecting higher order terms (their effects are practically negligible),

n=no + ∆n

where

a1 = co-efficient of linear electro-optic effect

a2 = co-efficient of second order electro-optic effect and so on

The change in n due E term is called Pockel effect and E2 term is called Kerr
effect.

Pockels effect: The Pockels effect is the linear electro-optic effect where the
refractive index of a medium is modified in proportion to the applied electric
field strength. The Pockels effect occurs only in crystals that lack inversion
symmetry, such as lithium niobate or GaAs and in other non-centrosymmetric
media such as electric-field poled polymers or glasses.
The Pockels effect is unusual because it implies that the direction of the
electric field matters (i.e., reverse electric field results in reduced index of
refraction). Glass (non-crystalline and isotropic) NaCl (crystalline but
symmetrical) cannot exhibit the Pockels effect. For isotropic materials and
inversion symmetric crystals, a1=0.That means crystal should be non-isotropic
and non-symmetrical. The crystal must be "non-centrosymmetric”.

The change in refractive index is given by

1
n = n o - r n3 E
2

where r is called Pockels co-efficient, that depends on the crystal structure

and material.

Kerr effect: The Kerr Effect is quadratic electro-optic effect where refractive
index changes in proportion to the square of applied electric field. Kerr
medium -most gas and liquid and some crsytals such as Nitrotoluene,
Nitrobenzene.

The difference in index of refraction is given by,

∆n = KλE2

where K is Kerr coefficient.

Electro Optic Modulator

Electro optic effect is an optical device in which a signal-controlled element

exhibiting the electro-optic effect is used to modulate a beam of light.
The modulation may be imposed on the phase, frequency, amplitude,
or polarization of the beam. It typically contains one or two Pockels
cells, and possibly additional optical elements such as
polarizers. Pockels cells are voltage-controlled wave plates. The Pockels
effect is the basis of the operation of Pockels cells. Pockels cells may be used
to rotate the polarization of a beam that passes through.

There are various configurations of Pockels cell based on the direction of the
applied electric field. In longitudinal Pockel cell, the applied filed is in the
direction of the propagation of light. In transverse Pockel cell, the applied
filed is transverse to the direction of light propagation.

Phase Modulator

Consider the transverse phase modulator, the applied electric field, Ea= V /d,
is applied parallel to the y-direction, normal to the direction of light
propagation along z. The incident beam is linearly polarized (shown as E) say
at 450 to the y axes. The incident light in terms of polarizations (Ex and Ey)
along the x and y axes, These components Ex and Ey experience refractive
indices n'1 and n’2 respectively. Thus when Ex traverses the length distance
L, its phase changes by  ,
2𝜋𝑛′ 1 2𝜋𝐿 1 𝑉
𝜙1 = L = (no+ n3o r )
𝜆 𝜆 2 𝑑

When the component Ey traverses the distance L, its phase changes by  2,

given by a similar expression except that changes sign. Thus the phase change
 between the two field components are

2𝜋 3 𝑉
∆ 𝜙 = 𝜙1- 𝜙2 = n or L
𝜆 𝑑

The voltage required for inducing a phase change of π is called the half-wave
voltage (V λ /2). For a Pockels cell, it is usually hundreds or even thousands of
volts. The half wave voltage is given by

We can’t arbitrarily choose the aspect ratio (d/L) for simple reason that when
d becomes small, the light will suffer diffraction effects that will prevent it
from passing through device. Typically, values are (10-2- 10-3)
The applied voltage thus inserts an adjustable phase difference ∆ between the
two field components. The polarization state of output wave can therefore be
controlled by the applied voltage and the Pockels cell is a polarization
modulator. We can change the medium from a quarter-wave to a half-wave
plate by simply adjusting V. The voltage 𝑉λ/2 , the half-wave voltage,
corresponds to and generates a half-wave plate.

Intensity Modulator

An intensity modulation can be created from the polarization modulator by

inserting a polarizer P and an analyzer A before and after the phase
modulator such that they are cross-polarized, i.e. P and A have their
transmission axes at 900 to each other. The transmission axis of P is at 450 to
the y-axis (hence A also has its transmission axis at 450 to y) so that the light
entering the crystal has equal Ex and E components. In the absence of an
applied voltage, the two components travel with the same refractive index
and polarization output from the crystal is the same as its input. There is no
light detected at the detector as A and P are at right angles (Malus's law).
An applied voltage inserts a phase difference  between the two electric
field components. The light leaving the crystal now has an elliptical
polarization and hence a field component along the transmission axis of A. A
portion of this light will therefore pass through A to the detector. The
transmitted intensity now depends on the applied voltage V. The Intensity of
detected beam is given by
𝜋 𝑉
I= IO sin2( )
2 Vλ /2
Summary

Phase Modulator: Formula to calculate phase shift due to electro-optic effects

𝑛𝑜3𝑟 𝑉λ/2
is where ∆n = for Pockel effect
𝑑
= KλE2 for Kerr effect

The half wave voltage is given by

λ for Pockels effect
𝑉λ/2
= 2𝑛𝑜3𝑟
d
V / 2  for Kerr effect

2 LK