Photoelastic Properties of Trigonal Crystals

Abstract

All possible experimental geometries of the piezo-optic effect in crystals of trigonal symmetry are studied in detail through the interferometric technique, and the corresponding expressions for the calculation of piezo-optic coefficients (POCs) πim and some sums of πim based on experimental data obtained from the samples of direct and X/45°-cuts are given. The reliability of the values of POCs is proven by the convergence of πim obtained from different experimental geometries as well as by the convergence of some sums of POCs. Because both the signs and the absolute values of POCs π14 and π41 are defined by the choice of the right crystal-physics coordinate system, we here use the system whereby the condition S14 > 0 is fulfilled (S14 is an elastic compliance coefficient). The absolute value and the sign of S14 are determined by piezo-optic interferometric method from two experimental geometries. The errors of POCs are calculated as mean square values of the errors of the half-wave stresses and the elastic term. All components of the matrix of elasto-optic coefficients pin are calculated based on POCs and elastic stiffness coefficients. The technique is tested on LiTaO3 crystal. The obtained results are compared with the corresponding data for trigonal LiNbO3 and Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 crystals.

Keywords

• piezo-optic effect
• elasto-optic effect
• interferometric method
• lithium tantalate
• lithium niobate
• catangasite