Dispersion of electro-optic coefficients in sillenite crystals

The photorefractive crystals of the sillenite family (Bi₁₂SiO₂₀ or BSO, Bi₁₂GeO₂₀ or BGO, and Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ or BTO) that belong to the cubic 23 point group are optically active, and exhibit the piezoelectric, elasto-optic, electro-optic and electrogyration effect. In this paper we measure the dispersion of the electro-optic coefficient for all the crystals of the sillenite family in the visible spectral range (500–800 nm). For this we measure by ellipsometry the polarization properties of a beam transmitted in the transverse configuration under the action of an externally applied field. The experimental data are fitted with an analytical expression of the beam polarization to find the electro-optic coefficient. The results show a normal dispersion of the electro-optic coefficient in all three sillenite crystals, similarly to other electro-optic crystals.