The Second International Conference On Solid State Laser & Technology

Grand Continental Hotel, Kuala Terengganu

6-9 September 2006

THE EFFECT OF TRANSVERSE ELECTRIC FIELD ON LITHIUM

NIOBATE (LiNbO3) CRYSTAL

Nurul Syafiqah Yap Abdullah, Noriah Bidin and Yaacob Mat Daud

Optical Crystal Research Group

Department of Physic, Faculty of Science
University Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Tel: +07-5534096 Fax: +60-5566162
Email: syafiqah_1404@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is well known for its excellent physical properties, such as optical,
electric, electro-optical, acousto-optical, and electro-mechanical properties. In electro-optic
application, the optical property of this crystal is very vital to ensure its performance as a Pockels
cell crystal in Q-Switch. The aim of this study is to characterize the effect of electrified lithium
niobate. He-Ne laser with the power of 10 mW was employed as a source of light and detected by
using silicon detector. Variable high voltage in the range of 0.1 to 1.5 kV was applied to the
crystal. Light was modulated using a light chopper which operated at frequency of 360 Hz. The
electro-optic signal was coupled to an oscilloscope. The obtainable result showed that the beams
passing through electricfied LiNbO3 have been shifted. The phase shifted was found to be
proportional with the voltage. The slope of the graph allowed the estimation of Pockels cell
coefficient which was 2.856 x 10-11 m/V and determination of half-wave voltage for LiNbO 3 of
1.85kV.

Keywords: Lithium niobate, electro-optic, high voltage, optical properties, Pockels cell, Q-switch,
phase, He-Ne, half-wave voltage, refractive index

INTRODUCTION

Applications of laser light always require the modulation of some properties of the laser light
wave, such as its intensity, phase, frequency or polarization of the beam [1]. The modulation by
using electro-optic effect is the basic operation concept for the optical modulator, optical switch,
Q-switch and deflector [2].Certain materials change their optical properties when subjected to an
electric field [3]. In electro-optic effect, the application of an electric field across certain crystal is
used to result in changing the refractive index of the crystal. The crystal becomes birefringent
under the influence of the applied electric field [4-5]. The changes in refractive index are linearly
proportional to the applied electric field [6]. A variety of uniaxial crystals have been found in
which the induced birefringence varies linearly with the applied electric field. This effect was
named after F. Pockels, who studied the effect in 1893 [7]. Pockels examined the linear effect in
crystals of quartz, tourmaline, potassium chlorate, and Rochelle salt [8]. A Pockels cell may be
used to modulate a beam of light [9]. It acts as a fast light modulator or shutter, usually involves a
crystal mounted with its optic axis and applied field parallel or perpendicular to the beam
direction [7]. The most common crystals used as Pockels cells include NH 4H2PO4 (ADP),
KH2PO4 (KDP), LiNbO3, LiTaO3, and CdTe [3].
The Second International Conference On Solid State Laser & Technology
Grand Continental Hotel, Kuala Terengganu
6-9 September 2006

In this study, lithium niobate (LiNbO3) had been chosen. The main aim of this study is to
diagnose the electrooptic effect on a cubic LiNbO 3 crystal by applying high voltage transversely.
The Pockels coefficient and half-wave voltage estimation were also discussed.

Lithium niobate has a wide application in the modern science and technology due to its
excellent physical properties, such as optical, electric, electro-optical, acousto-optical, electro-
mechanical properties. Lithium niobate is one of the ferroelectric materials among the nonlinear
optical crystal, which provided with many advantages for practical applications [1]. It offers good
transmission and high extinction ratio with modest driving voltage in transverse configuration.
When an electric field is applied perpendicular to the direction of the optical beam as in Figure 1,
it cause refractive index change [10].

d Light
Electric Field

L
Figure 1. A steady electric field applied to an electro-optic material.

The refractive index of an electro-optic medium is a function n(E) of the applied electric field E.

n(E) ≈ n0 – ½ гn03E (1)

where г is called the Pockels coefficient or the linear electro-optic coefficient and n0 is the
refractive index without electric field. Typical value of г lies in the range 10 -12 to 10-10 m/V [3].
When a beam of light traverses a Pockels cell of length L to which an electric field E is applied, it
undergoes a phase shift.
г n03EL
φ ≈ φ0 - π (2)
λ0

where λ0 is the free-space wavelength. In this study, λ0 was stand for the wavelength of He-Ne
laser. By substitute the electric field E = V/d, (noticing LiNbO3 is cubic where L = d) the
Equation (2) can be written as
(3)
(4)
The parameter Vπ , known as the half- wave voltage, is the applied voltage at
which the phase shift changes by π. The value of the electro-optic coefficient
depends on the directions of propagation and the applied field since the crystal is
anisotropic [3].
METHODOLOGY

Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) has been chosen to be a as Pockels cell. It is a compound of niobium,
lithium and oxygen. Colorless solid material with trigonal crystal structure, posses melting point
of 1257oC, density of 4.65 g/cm 2 and refractive index of 2.288. Lithium niobate was chosen due
to its good transmission and high extinction ratio with modest driving voltage in transverse
The Second International Conference On Solid State Laser & Technology
Grand Continental Hotel, Kuala Terengganu
6-9 September 2006

configuration which was useful in the electro-optic switching process. Nevertheless, lithium
niobate devices are at a well-advanced stage. In this study, lithium niobate with dimension of 10
mm X 10 mm X 10 mm was employed as the target material. A lower power continuous wave
He-Ne laser with the power of 10 mW and 632.8 nm wavelengths was used as the light source.
Prior to apply this beam as illumination source, the beam was modulated by light chopper which
rotated with frequency of 360 Hz. A Perspex case with the dimension of 6 cm x 10 cm x 13 cm
was used as the Pockels cell housing. There are two holes at both sides of the housing in order to
facilitate the connection of high voltage cable to the electrodes. A Leybold high voltage power
supply was used to supply electric field to the crystal. Lithium niobate crystal was placed in the
Pockels cell housing and applied high voltage transversely in the range of 0.1 to 1.5 kV. A
switchable gain, amplified silicon detector was used to detect the beam. The detector was
designed for detection of light signals from DC to 10 MHz. The silicon detector was coupled to
an oscilloscope model TDS 3054B in order to display and measured the phase shifted. The whole
experimental setup is shown in Figure 2 below.

Light
Chopper
Detector

He-Ne Laser Oscilloscope

Pockels
cell

High Voltage

Figure 2. Experimental arrangement

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Typical oscillogram showing the shifted phase between two signals (one original signal of
modulated He-Ne beam and the other one is signal for electrified beam) is shown in Figure 3.
The shifted phase was measured in time domain ∆T. The shifted phase ∆φ was estimated by
using ∆φ = ω ∆T, where ω is the angular frequency (ω = 2 π ƒ).
The Second International Conference On Solid State Laser & Technology
Grand Continental Hotel, Kuala Terengganu
6-9 September 2006

∆T

Figure 3. The oscillogram of shifted phase

The collected data of phase shifted are plotted against voltage. The graph is shown in Figure 4.
The phase shifted was found proportional to the supplied voltage. Using Equation (3), the slope
of the linear graph can be used to estimate the half-wave voltage. The slope of the graph was
obtained as 0.0016. Replacing d in Equation (3) which refer as width of the crystal, where electric
field transverse across the crystal, as L since the crystal is cubic and knowing the wavelength of
He-Ne laser in free space is 632.8 nm and the refractive index of LiNbO 3 without supplying
voltage as 2.288, then the half-wave voltage can be estimated. The calculation result shows that
the half-wave voltage of lithium niobate crystal is 1.85 kV. This indicates that the voltage
required to shift the phase with the amount of π radian is 1.85kV. The half-wave voltage also
important parameter to utilize lithium niobate crystal as a Pockels cell in the Q-switched system.
The information of half-wave voltage Vπ obtained from graph of Figure 4 also can be used to
compute the Pockel cell coefficient г for lithium niobate crystal using Equation (4).

3,00

2,50
Phase Shift (rad)

2,00

1,50

1,00

0,50

0,00
0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0
Voltage, V (kV)

Figure 4. The phase shifted dependent on the applied electric field on Lithium Niobate crystal.

The computational result shows that the Pockels cell coefficient of lithium niobate is 2.856 x 10 -11
m/V. This experimental result is close to the theoretical value by taking into account the
experimental error including the fluctuation in current during experiment as well as the difficulty
in determining the appropriate shifted phase for every voltage.

The obtainable value of half-wave voltage Vπ and the Pockels cell coefficient г can be used to
determine the changes in refractive index. Equation (1) can be utilized in order to make this
estimation by replacing г and the refractive index of lithium niobate. Roughly, the magnitude of
refractive index changes for lithium niobate is obtained within the range of 10-6.

CONCLUSIONS
The Second International Conference On Solid State Laser & Technology
Grand Continental Hotel, Kuala Terengganu
6-9 September 2006

The effect of supplying high voltage transversely on lithium niobate (LiNbO 3) crystal was
successfully studied. The electric field provided across the crystal causing the refractive index
change within the magnitude of 10-6 which is in good agreement with theoretical value. The He-
Ne laser passing through the electrified lithium niobate experiences shifted phase. The shifted
was found to be linear with respect to the supplied voltage. The proportional relationship between
the two parameters permitted the estimation of half-wave voltage as 1.85 kV and Pockels cell
coefficient of lithium niobate as 2.856 x 10-11 m/V.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to express their thanks to University Teknologi Malaysia and the
Government of Malaysia through IRPA vote number 74531 for the financial support in this
project.

REFERENCES

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