All-optical technique to measure the pyroelectric coefficient in electro-optic crystals

J. Parravicini (1, 2) , J. Safioui (3) , V. Degiorgio , P. Minzioni (4, 5) , M. Chauvet (3)

1 UNIVAQ - Università degli Studi dell'Aquila = University of L'Aquila
2 Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica e dell'Informazione
3 FEMTO-ST - Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174)
4 CNISM - Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze FIsiche della Materia
5 UNIPV - Università degli Studi di Pavia = University of Pavia

We report an all-optical method to measure the pyroelectric coefficient p of electro-optic crystals. Through this technique, we first acquire the birefringence variation delta Delta n of the crystal as a function of its temperature T, both in closed and open-circuit conditions, using a Senarmont phase-compensation configuration. Then the pyroelectric field is deduced from the difference between these two measurements, so it leads to the material spontaneous polarization change, whose derivative with respect to the temperature finally gives p. This technique is applied on congruent and stoichiometric lithium niobate.

Domaines: Optique / photonique

J. Parravicini, J. Safioui, V. Degiorgio, P. Minzioni, M. Chauvet. All-optical technique to measure the pyroelectric coefficient in electro-optic crystals. British Journal of Applied Physics, 2011, 109 (3), pp.033106. ⟨10.1063/1.3544069⟩. ⟨hal-00577206⟩