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

In this paper, 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(0))(Delta/n(0))(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(0))l - beta] + (pi/lambda)[(-2Delta) + (g(33)/n(0))(Delta/n(0))l}, for the optically active crystal on which the voltage is applied. We discuss the influence on the turn-off and turn-on states of the Q-switch caused by the mutual action term (g(33)/n(0))(Delta/n(0))(2), and the advantage and disadvantage of the two work-manners of the Q-switch (i.e., step-up manner and step-down manner). The synthetic properties of La(3)Ga(5)SiQ(14)](4) electro-optic Q-switch are described in comparison to KD2PO4 and LiNbO3 Q-switches. (C) 2004 The Optical Society of Japan.