Crystals modulated by two parameters and their applications

Abstract

In the applications of two external fields, such as stresses and electric fields, the optical modulation properties of some crystals are theoretically analyzed using the method of index ellipsoid. Simple mathematical formulas for the calculations of the field-induced principal refractive indexes of some crystals and corresponding azimuthal angles of their principal axes can be deduced from the equation of index ellipsoid if there exists only one nonzero cross term in the equation, e.g. x1x2. According to these simple formulas, we can find out some crystals exhibiting dual transverse electrooptic effect, e.g. crystals of the 6 symmetry point group. Under two simultaneously applied external stresses, elastooptic birefringence of a crystal is proportional to the difference between the two external stresses, and the orientations of their birefringent axes are unchanged. When a stress and an electric field are simultaneously and perpendicularly applied to some crystals such as cubic crystals of 43m point group, the field-induced birefringence of the crystal is proportional to the weighted geometric mean of the applied stress and electric field, and the orientations of their birefringent axes only depend on the ratio of the applied electric field and stress. The above electrooptic and elastooptic modulation properties are useful to the design of novel optical modulators and sensors.