由电场引起的晶体折射率的变化称为晶体的电光效应,具有电光效应的晶体称为电光晶体。利用电光效应可以制作电光Q开关等重要光电器件。晶体的电光效应及其有效利用,均与其对称性密切相关。本文在综述电光晶体研究进展的基础上,推导了不同晶系中各晶类电光效应类型及其特点,并以电光Q开关的要求为例讨论了晶体的电光效应及其对称性之间的关系。从讨论结果得出:立方晶系Td-713m,三方晶系C3v-3m,四方晶系D2d-712m,D4v-4ram和六方晶系D3h-6m2,C6v-6mm点群中相应电光系数的横向或纵向效应可能有实用价值。在考虑旋光性影响后,立方晶系T-23,三方晶系D3-32,四方晶系中s4-4,六方晶系中C3h-6等也有可能应用。但是,电光晶体的应用与许多因素相关,对称性只是其中一个基本条件。
The change of refractive indices induced by applied electric field in crystals is called as electro-optic (E-O) effect. Devices such as E-O Q-switches and modulators can be manufactured by using E-O crystals. The application of E-O crystals depends strongly on the symmetry of the crystal. In this paper we have reviewed recent progress on E-O crystal research, and discussed the relationships between E-O effect and symmetry. The favorable point groups for E-O application are Td - 43m (cubic), C3v - 3m (trigonal), D2d - 712m and D4v - 4ram (tetragonal), D3h - 6m2 and C6v - 6ram (hexagonal). Crystals with point group T - 23 (cubic), D3 - 32 (trigonal), S4 - 71 (tetragonal) and C3h- 8 (hexagonal) may also be used when the optic-activity in the crystal can be eliminated in E-O device design. It is necessary to point out that the consideration of symmetry is one of the elementary factors for the application of E-O crystals.