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Electro-Optic Effect/Pockel Effect Experiment Report

Experiment Findings · December 2023


DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.34244.60805

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Nikhil Bhagya Raj Maddala


Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal
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Electro-Optic Effect/Pockel Effect
Nikhil Bhagya Raj

December 14, 2023

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal


1
Abstract
The Electro-Optic Effect, also known as the Pockel Effect, is considered one of the most
fundamental and more likely one of the essential concepts in the field of Optics and Photonics.
This effect describes the modulation of Light’s polarization state in an applied electric field
environment which is found within certain crystalline materials. This effect is the study
of the modulation of the refractive index of the given material crystal in proportion to the
applied Electric field strength. This effect was named after Friedrich Carl Alwin Pockels,
who first discovered it in 1893.

In this experiment, we will try to determine the trend or simply consider, a Graph to study
the Birefringence concerning an applied voltage in an Electro-Optic crystal. We will under-
stand the basic principle of Birefringence and how it is caused in the crystal upon applying
an electric field to it, and we use a Laser beam as a source to understand the Birefringence
upon supplying the voltage to the crystal.

2
Contents
1 Aim 4

2 Equipment 4

3 Theory 4
3.1 Birefringence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2 Polarization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

4 Observations 8
4.1 Half Wave Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4.2 Birefringence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.3 Extinction Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

5 Error Analysis 11
5.1 Extinction Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

6 Result 12

7 References 12

3
1 Aim
To plot the graph and study the birefringence concerning applied voltage in an Electro-Optic
Crystal (LiN bO3 ).

2 Equipment
• Kinematic Laser mount with Diode Laser

• Optical Rail

• Polarizer Rotator

• Power supply for Laser

• Pockel Cell with micrometre drive

• Switched-mode power supply

• Analyzer with precision adjustment

• Output Measurement Unit

• Pinhole photodetector with a linear translation stage

3 Theory
The change in the refractive index that is induced in a crystal on the application of an Electric
Field which further affects the state of polarization of the Light beam on propagation through
the crystal is known as Electro-Optic Effect. If the change in the Refractive index is made
directly proportional to the applied electric field, then it is known as the ”Pockel Effect”. The
Pockel Effect is also called the ”Linear Electrooptic Effect”. Other proportional parameters
lead to different effects such as the Kerr Effect, etc. The main principle involved in the
experiment is known as Induced Birefringence. We can see that the Pockel Effect is Linear.

3.1 Birefringence
When a beam of nonpolarized light is passed into a Crystal, the light is decomposed into
two rays that refract at different angles. This is called Birefringence, and can also be called
a ”Double Refraction”. It can also be given as the difference in the refractive indices of two

4
Figure 1: Birefringence arisen due to Refracion of polarized light by two optical axes

polarizations. The ray for which the Snell’s law holds is called an Ordinary Ray and the
other ray is called ”Extraordinary Ray”.

Birefringent materials are usually ”Anisotropic”. Anisotropy is the property of the crystal
that has a different value when measured in different directions. This is regarded as the
foundation for Polarizers, Analyzers, etc. In this context, Anisotropy refers to the properties
being dependent on the direction a light beam takes across them.

Birefringent materials are usually considered Anisotropic because their molecules do not
respond to the incident light evenly in all directions. In all such materials, there exists at
least one optic axis which serves as a kind of reference, along which the propagating light
can travel with no consequences to either component of the electric vector.

As many crystals exhibit Birefriengece naturally, certain crystals are not birefringent natu-
rally but become birefringent by the application of an Electric Field.

The Birefringence (Dn ) is a periodic function of the applied voltage so that the transmission
will be an oscillatory function of the applied voltage.

3.2 Polarization
Pockel found that an Isotropic crystal into a uniaxial crystal and the uniaxial crystal became
Biaxial.

Uniaxial crystals are anisotropic materials that have a single optical axis, known as the

5
Figure 2: Pockel Experiment Apparatus

Extraordinary axis. Biaxial crystals are anisotropic materials that have two distinct optical
axes, known as principal optical axes. In these two crystals, light behaves differently when
travelling in the directions parallel to the axes and perpendicular to the axes. The condition
that a crystal displays Pockel’s Effect is if it does not possess inverse symmetry.

When unpolarized light enters the polarizer, the molecules in the crystal will vibrate accord-
ing to the direction of the propagation of Light’s electric field. As an atom consists of a
Nucleus and an Electron cloud, the cloud moves opposite to the direction of the propagating
light’s electric field and the nucleus moves along the electric field’s direction of the Light ray
entering. Due to this, we can alter the electric field coming out after passing through the
atoms and hence, the light becomes polarized, along a particular direction. This polarized
light is considered to study the Birefringence of the crystal and after applying the electric
field to the crystal, we can see that as we increase the voltage, the molecules start vibrating
according to the direction of the electric field supplied. As the electric field increases, the
atoms start vibrating in phase with the polarized incoming light at a particular electric field,
which is supplied at a particular voltage. That voltage is called ”Half Voltage”. Conven-
tionally, we align the apparatus in the experiment such that the Pockel cell is placed in
between the Polarizer and Analyzer, such that the angle of polarization between polarizer
and analyzer is almost right angle such that we can record the trend of Birefringence and
input voltage more accurately.

The Formulae for calculation of Birefringence (Dn ) and Intensity at Half Voltage (V 1 )
2

The transmission of the laser light through the crystal exhibiting Birefringence is given by

P (V ) = P (V 1 ) sin2 πDn L

λ
(1)
2

6
Dn = Birefringence

P (v 1 ) = Intensity at Haldf voltage


2

P (V )= Intensity at applied voltage

L = Length of the crystal

λ = Wavelength of Light

Maximum transmission occurs at the half-voltage condition which is given by

λd
V1 = (2)
2 2r22 n3o l

L = Gap between the Electrodes

r22 = Electro-Optic Coefficient

no = Ordinary Refractive Index

λ = Wavelength of Light

The formula for Birefringence can be given as

s
λ −1 P (V 
Dn = πL
sin  (3)
P V1
2

P (V ) = Meter reading at Voltage V

P (V 1 ) = Half Wave Voltage


2

L = length of the crystal = 2.5 cm

λ = Wavelength of the Laser Beam = 650 nm Solve the equation for several values of V and
plot it as a function of Voltage.

7
4 Observations
4.1 Half Wave Voltage
The table of the observations made by changing the input voltage and observing the output
current is as follows.

Voltage (kV) Meter Reading P (V )


0.1 0.4
0.2 1.5
0.3 3.4
0.4 5.4
0.5 6.7
0.6 6.6
0.7 5.1
0.8 3
0.9 1.3
1 0.3
1.1 0.2
1.2 0.9
1.3 2.4
1.4 4.6
1.5 6.5
1.6 7.1
1.7 6.7
1.8 5.2
1.9 3
2 1.1

Table 1: Voltage (kV) vs Output Current (mA)

The corresponding graph for the trend is given as

8
Figure 3: Current (mA) vs Voltage (kV)

4.2 Birefringence
The values of the Wavelength and Length of the crystal are as follows.

Wavelength (λ) = 650 nm

Length of the Crystal (L) = 2.5 cm

Birefringence (Dn ) is given by


s
λ −1 P (V 
Dn = πL
sin 
P V1
2

The table of recordings and the corresponding graph between Voltage and Birefringence is
given by

9
Figure 4: Voltage (kV) vs Birefringence (Dn )

Voltage (kV) Meter Reading (P (V )) Birefringence (Dn )


0.1 0.4 0.0000019833
0.2 1.5 0.0000039526
0.3 3.4 0.0000063251
0.4 5.4 0.0000087684
0.5 6.7 0.0000110168
0.6 6.6 0.0000107772
0.7 5.1 0.0000083698
0.8 3 0.0000058563
0.9 1.3 0.0000036594
1 0.3 0.0000017134
1.1 0.2 0.0000013956
1.2 0.9 0.0000030127
1.3 2.4 0.0000051349
1.4 4.6 0.0000077426
1.5 6.5 0.000010559
1.6 7.1 0.0000130001
1.7 6.7 0.000010168
1.8 5.2 0.000008502
1.9 3 0.000005863
2 1.1 0.0000033481

Table 2:

10
4.3 Extinction Ratio
It is defined as the ratio of the detector output at half-wave voltage and the detector output
at zero voltage.

The extinction ratio is given by

P (V 1 )
2
ER = (4)
P0 (V )

The value of current at Half-Voltage (P (V 1 ) = 7.1 mA.


2

The value of current at zero input Voltage (P (V0 )) = 0.325 mA.

The value of the Extinction ratio is given by

7.1
ER = = 21.8461538462 ≈ 21.85
0.325

The value of Extinction ratio (ER ) = 21.85

5 Error Analysis
Error is defined as the ratio of the subtraction of the experimental value and the actual value
with the Actual Value.

Mathematically, it is defined as

Experimental Value − Theoretical Value


Error =
Theoretical Value

5.1 Extinction Ratio


The error in the Extinction ratio can be given as follows.

From Equation 3 we can get the formula for Relative Error as

∆ER ∆P (V ) ∆P0
ER
= P (V )
+ P0

∆P (V 1 ) = 0.1µA
2

∆P0 = 0.1µA

11
P (V ) = 7.1mA = 7100µA, P0 = 0.325mA = 325µA
0.1 0.1

∆ER = 21.85 7100 + 325 = 0.007

6 Result
• The intensity variation is plotted as a function of applied voltage.

• Half wave voltage (V 1 )= 1.6 kV


2

• Extinction ratio (ER ) = 21.85 ± 0.007

• Birefringence vs. applied Voltage graph is plotted.

7 References

[1] Saleh, B. E. A., Teich, M. C. (1991). Fundamentals of Photonics (2nd ed., pp. 215-227).
1991 John Wiley Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/0471213748

[2] Hindi, Sherif. (2016). Birefringence of bio-based liquid crystals. BioCrystals Journal . 1.
13-25.

[3] Pvt. Ltd, H. (2023). Schematic Diagram [Photograph]. Holmarc. https://holmarc.com/


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