TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE AND MODEL OF THE ELECTRO-OPTIC EFFECT IN LiNbO3

Abstract

The temperature dependence and the absolute sign of the electro-optic coefficients in single-crystal LiNbO3 were measured in the temperature range of 20°-250°C using a vibrating-mirror Michelson interferometer. The linear electro-optic effect in LiNbO3 is related through a simple model to the quadratic electro-optic effect in paraelectric perovskites. The measured magnitude, sign, and the temperature dependence of the electro-optic effect in this crystal are consistent with this model.