What is Kerr effect in optical communication?

The Kerr effect is a nonlinear optical effect which can occur when light propagates in crystals and glasses, but also in other media such as gases. It can be described as a change in refractive index caused by electric fields, and being proportional to the square of the electric field strength.

What is refractive index?

Refractive Index (Index of Refraction) is a value calculated from the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to that in a second medium of greater density. The refractive index variable is most commonly symbolized by the letter n or n’ in descriptive text and mathematical equations.

What is the origin of electrooptic effect?

The Pockels effect (first described in 1906 by the German physicist Friedrich Pockels) is the linear electro-optic effect, where the refractive index of a medium is modified in proportion to the applied electric field strength. This effect can occur only in non-centrosymmetric materials.

What is the Kerr effect and what does it mean?

Kerr Effect. Definition – What does Kerr Effect mean? The Kerr effect is a phenomenon in which the refractive index of a material changes because of an applied electrical field, and the change in the refractive index is proportional to the square of the applied electric field.

How is the Kerr and Pockels effect used?

Both the Kerr and Pockels effect are applied in components that are used in optical signal-processing applications and on optical communications as a whole. Electro-Optical Effect: Through the slow application of an external, varying electrical field to a Kerr medium, the material will develop two indexes of refraction.

How does the Kerr effect work in non symmetric media?

For non-symmetric media (e.g. liquids), this induced change of susceptibility produces a change in refractive index in the direction of the electric field: where λ 0 is the vacuum wavelength and K is the Kerr constant for the medium. The applied field induces birefringence in the medium in the direction of the field.

What are two indexes of refraction in Kerr medium?

Electro-Optical Effect: Through the slow application of an external, varying electrical field to a Kerr medium, the material will develop two indexes of refraction. One is for light that is polarized parallel to the electric field, while the other is for polarized light perpendicular to the field.