8.electro Optic Effect

4.
ELECTRO-OPTIC EFFECT
AIM
To study Pockels effect.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
He-Ne laser, a pair of polarizers with graduated scales, LiNbO3 crystal in
holder, photo-detector, digital meter and DC power supply.
THEORY
Electro-optic effect is the change in refractive index of a material due to
the presence of a static electric field. In some materials change in refractive
index depends linearly on the strength of applied electric field. This change is
known as linear electro-optic effect or Pockels effect. This can be described
by second order nonlinear polarization and is given by
P(2)(ω) = 2ε0 χ(2) E2(ω) (1)
Pockels effect can only be seen in non-centrosymmetric crystals as it is

described by second order nonlinear susceptibility which vanishes in case of
centrosymmetric crystals. In centrosymmetric crystals the lowest order
nonlinearity possible is third order. In centrosymmetric crystals the change in
refractive index depends quadratically on the strength of the applied static
electric field. This is known as Kerr effect and is described by third order
polarization. In noncentrosymmetric crystals the crystalline element is
oriented with its axes in specified orientation (which depends on the
crystalline symmetry of the particular material). The applied voltage induces
birefringence in the crystal. The polarization vector is composed of two
perpendicular components of equal intensity , one vertical and one horizontal.
The induced birefringence makes the two components of polarization to travel
with different velocities inside the crystal. This induced birefringence is the
basis of the electro-optic effect. The two components in phase as they enter
the crystal will emerge with different phases. If we increase the voltage, at a
particular voltage we will get maximum output. At this position the crystals
transmission axis will be parallel to the polarization axis of the incident beam.
The voltage corresponding to this maximum is called half wave voltage. This
half wave voltage depends on the nature of electro-optic material.
PROCEDURE
In this experiment we need a linearly polarized light from He-Ne laser.
Here we mount a polarizer in front of the laser. We will rotate the polarizer
and we will keep the polarizer in such a degree where we will get minimum
voltage on the photo-detector. Now we align the crystal A in front of the
polarizer in such a way that the light incident is perpendicular to the crystal A
and make sure that light passes straight through the crystal. The crystal is
connected to a 5kV power supply. We keep a HWP in front of the polarizer so
that the light will change its phase. Then we will keep an analyzer after the
crystal which is followed by a detector(photodiode). The axis of the polarizer
is kept at 900 to the HWP such a way that the light falling on the detector is
very minimum. Now we increase the voltage applied to the crystal in steps of
50 volts and the corresponding multimeter readings are noted. The maximum
applied voltage is 1.2kV. Now change the crystal A by crystal B and repeat
the experiment. Note the readings and draw the graphs between applied
voltage and multimeter readings.
Figure 1
Figure 2
OBSERVATION
Applied Photodetector reading (mV)
Voltage For crystal A For crystal B
(kV) Maximum Minimum ±Error Maximum Minimum ±Error
0 25.6 25.5 0.05 29 28.9 0.05
0.05 21.3 21.2 0.05 26.8 26.7 0.05
0.1 17.1 17 0.05 27.5 27.4 0.05
0.15 13.1 13 0.05 25.5 25.4 0.05
0.2 12 11.9 0.05 23.9 23.8 0.05
0.25 7.5 7.4 0.05 23.1 23 0.05
0.3 6.9 6.8 0.05 22.7 22.6 0.05
0.35 6.3 6.2 0.05 25.3 25.2 0.05
0.4 6 5.9 0.05 26.1 26 0.05
0.45 6.3 6.2 0.05 28.8 28.7 0.05
0.5 9.5 9.4 0.05 30.3 30.2 0.05
0.55 14.7 14.6 0.05 31.5 31.4 0.05
0.6 17.9 17.8 0.05 34.3 34.2 0.05
0.65 22.9 22.8 0.05 38.1 38 0.05
0.7 23.8 23.7 0.05 40.5 40.4 0.05
0.75 26.7 26.6 0.05 43.5 43.4 0.05
0.8 28.5 28.4 0.05 45.5 45.4 0.05
0.85 36.6 36.5 0.05 48.4 48.3 0.05
0.9 41.5 41.4 0.05 52.9 52.8 0.05
0.95 47.1 47 0.05 57.1 57 0.05
1 50.4 50.3 0.05 60.7 60.6 0.05
1.05 48.4 48.3 0.05 59.1 59 0.05
1.1 45.1 45 0.05 64.4 64.3 0.05
Graph
𝝅(𝑽𝒂 − 𝑽𝒂𝟎 )
𝑽𝒑 = 𝑽𝒑𝟎 + 𝑨𝒔𝒊𝒏 [ ]
𝒘
3.5
Photodetector response, Vp (mV)
3.0
2.5 A
2.0
w
1.5 A
Vp0
1.0
0.5
-50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Applied Voltage, Va (kV)
Figure 3: Sample curve
Value Standard Error

Vp0 2 8.69209E-17
Va0 -1.40159E-14 9.11571E-15
w 180 7.81538E-15
A 1.5 1.27247E-16
50
Photodetector reading (mV)
40
30
20
10
0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Applied Voltage (kV)
Figure 4: Plot for crystal A
50
40

30 Vp0 27.26801 0.96065
Va0 0.73125 0.01604
20 w 0.7494 0.03169
A 21.18017 0.79854
10
0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Figure 5: Fitted curve for crystal A

70
60
50
40
30
20
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2

Figure 6: Plot for crystal B
70

60 Vp0 46.89997 1.70908
Va0 0.8058 0.03121

50
w 1.12135 0.07296
A 22.90859 1.54253
40
30
20
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2

Figure 7: Fitted curve for crystal B

RESULT
The photodetector response of the given crystals labelled A & B are tabulated
and plotted. Crystal A shows more fair Pockel effect than crystal B. The
values of half wave voltage for crystal A and for crystal B are 1 kV each.
?? Not correct from the graph
Half wave voltage is the voltage range from minimum to max of transmitted
light

8.electro Optic Effect

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4.

P(2)(ω) = 2ε0 χ(2) E2(ω) (1)

Pockels effect can only be seen in non-centrosymmetric crystals as it is

-50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Figure 3: Sample curve

Value Standard Error

Photodetector reading (mV)

Figure 4: Plot for crystal A

Value Standard Error

Figure 5: Fitted curve for crystal A

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2

Figure 6: Plot for crystal B

Value Standard Error

Va0 0.8058 0.03121

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2

Figure 7: Fitted curve for crystal B

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