Electrical birefringence potential

In an electrooptic material the phase retardation angle is controlled by altering birefringence, which is in turn controlled by the potential of an apphed electric field. An electrooptic device thus acts as a variable phase optical retardation plate, and can be used to modulate the wavelength or intensity of an incident beam. 

Just as linear polarization leads to linear optical effects, such as refractive index and birefringence, nonlinear polarization leads to other and usually more subtle (nonlinear) effects. It is precisely these effects we hope to understand and exploit. In Figure 14, application of a symmetric field (i.e., the electric field associated with the light wave) to the anharmonic potential leads to an asymmetric polarization response. This polarization wave shows diminished maxima in one direction and accentuated... 

The Kerr effect is the result of applying an electric field to produce birefringence. This phenomena is commonly observed for both colloidal and polymeric liquids and is used in the characterization of the structure of these materials. Alternatively, by using an AC electric field, a modulation of the polarization of light can be affected. Such devices have rarely been used as modulators but do have the potential of allowing higher frequencies than the more common photoelastic devices. 

In the study of electrodynamic birefringence, metal dynamo-optimeters with both itmer and outer rotors can be used. They differ from the constructions shown in Figs. 82 and 83 in that the axis on which the rotor rotates is isolated from the stator with a plastic pack-ing2 ). The electric potential is supplied to the rotor. 

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