Vibrometry Analysis of Electrooptical Coupling near Piezoelectric Resonance

The electrooptic response of crystals becomes attenuated in the megahertz or higher frequencies where it is of the most use for communication systems. This research explores new possibilities of improved electrooptic interaction at high frequencies, discovered as a result of coupled electrooptic effects near selected piezoelectric resonances. Results suggest that for electrooptics the key to a large interaction at high frequencies is the gradient of the strain in a modulated crystal and the acceleration of the accompanying lattice waves. While strains tend to be damped, acceleration of the lattice wave retains its amplitude at high frequencies. This interaction is studied by a high frequency Laser Doppler Vibrometer and by numerical finite element analysis modeling using COMSOL. PMN-PT crystal was the primary material studied due to its large piezoelectric coupling and electrooptic coefficients. The dynamic displacement of the samples was measured over a broad range of frequencies, including the fundamental resonant modes and higher order harmonics where the mode structure becomes complex and not well described by existing analytical models.