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International
Tables for Crystallography Volume D Physical properties of crystals Edited by A. Authier © International Union of Crystallography 2006 |
International Tables for Crystallography (2006). Vol. D. ch. 1.6, p. 172
Section 1.6.6.1. Primary and secondary effects
a
Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Roads, Oxford OX1 3PU, England, and bDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Roads, Oxford OX1 3PR, England |
In considering the electro-optic effect, it is necessary to bear in mind that, in addition to the primary effect of changing the refractive index, the applied electric field may also cause a strain in the crystal via the converse piezoelectric effect, and this can then change the refractive index, as a secondary effect, through the elasto-optic effect. Both these effects, which are of comparable magnitude in practice, will occur if the crystal is free. However, if the crystal is mechanically clamped, it is not possible to induce any strain, and in this case therefore only the primary electro-optic effect is seen. In practice, the free and clamped behaviour can be investigated by measuring the linear birefringence when applying electric fields of varying frequencies. When the electric field is static or of low frequency, the effect is measured at constant stress, so that both primary and secondary effects are measured together. For electric fields at frequencies above the natural mechanical resonance of the crystal, the strains are very small, and in this case only the primary effect is measured.
