Patent · US Expired

Electro-optic modulator with compensation of thermally induced birefringence

US4094581A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
2References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 31, 1977
Grant dateJun 13, 1978
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 31, 1997

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F1/0311
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An electro-optic modulator for phase modulating a high power beam of monochromatic electro-magnetic radiation is described where localized phase distortion occurring within the beam due to thermal heating is compensated. The received radiation is passed through two precisely matched electro-optic crystals and an optical compensating element located between the two crystals. One of the crystals has an applied field for modulation purposes. With this arrangement, the thermal birefringent effects induced in the crystals are cancelled out with the output beam polarization properties determined by the input polarization, optical compensating element and applied electric field.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.