Mutual action of the optical activity and the electro-optic effect and its influence on the La3Ga5SiO14 crystal electro-optic Q switch

We have studied the mutual action of the optical activity and the electro-optic effect and its influence on the electro-optic Q switch. The birefringence (g(33)/n(o))(Delta/n(o))(2) resulting from the mutual action is calculated. In the polarization-light interferometric experiment setup, the outgoing light intensity expression is given by I = A(0)(2)cos(2){[(pi/lambda)(g(33)/n(o))l - beta] + (pi/lambda)[(-2Delta) + (g(33)/n(o))(Delta/n(o))(2)]l} for the optically active crystal on which the voltage is applied. The influence on the electro-optic Q switch caused by the mutual action is discussed. Based on these discussion, we have designed a type of electro-optic Q switch by using the optically active crystal La3Ga5SiO14. This Q switch can behave as normally as those that are not optically active. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.