Question

What is the Pockels effect? What is the similarity and the difference between this effect and Kerr effect?

Answer 1

Pockels effect isthe linear elevtro 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.

All centrosymmetric media exhibit only the Kerr electro-optic effect, also called kerr effect, where the refractive index change is proportional to the square of the electric field strength, and is typically much weaker than for the linear effect within the range of electric field strength which the material can tolerate.they also called as quadratic electro optic effect.