Experimental determination of full matrices of the piezo-optic and elasto-optic coefficients for PbGeO crystals.

We determine full matrices of piezo-optic and elasto-optic coefficients for lead germanate crystals, , using Dixon-Cohen and interferometric methods. Two different types of samples are studied, single- and multi-domain. We show that the correct data for the crystals can be obtained only with single-domain samples, since the domain structure induces a number of features that make the final results unreliable.

Acousto-optic interaction between circularly polarized optical eigenwaves: example of AgGaS crystals.

We analyze acousto-optic (AO) diffraction occurring at the light wavelength of a so-called "isotropic point" in AgGaS crystals. It is shown that a natural optical activity, which manifests itself as circular birefringence at the isotropic point, can lead to two different types of AO Bragg diffraction, isotropic and anisotropic. The first type concerns the interaction of circularly polarized optical eigenwaves with the same sign of rotations of their electric-field vectors.

Effect of deviation from purely transverse and longitudinal polarization states of acoustic waves on the anisotropy of acousto-optic figure of merit: the case of TlAsS crystals.

We analyze the effect of acoustic wave (AW) polarization states deviation from purely longitudinal and transverse on the anisotropy of the acousto-optic (AO) figure of merit for the case of AO interactions occurring in the principal crystallographic planes. In particular, we obtain phenomenological relations that describe the effective elasto-optic coefficient for the six types of AO interactions, which exhaust all of the possible isotropic AO diffractions. These relations are compared for the alternative cases when the deviations of polarization of the AWs from purely longitudinal and transverse ones are either taken into consideration or completely neglected.

Piezo-, elasto- and acousto-optic properties of TlAsS crystals.

Complete matrices of piezo-optic and elasto-optic tensors are experimentally determined for TlAsS crystals. It is revealed that the piezo-optic coefficients are very high, ∼10  N/m in the order of magnitude. This implies that TlAsS can be referred to the best piezo-optic materials.

Piezo-optic and elasto-optic properties of monoclinic triglycine sulfate crystals.

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we have experimentally determined all of the components of the piezo-optic tensor for monoclinic crystals. This has been implemented on a specific example of triglycine sulfate crystals. Based on the results obtained, the complete elasto-optic tensor has been calculated.

Photoelastic properties of lithium tetraborate crystals.

We report the results of comprehensive studies of the piezo-optic and elasto-optic effects in lithium tetraborate crystals, LiBO. The full matrices of piezo-optic and elasto-optic coefficients are obtained using a recently developed method based on four-point bending. On this basis, we have estimated the acousto-optic figure of merit for LiBO.

Anisotropy of acousto-optic figure of merit for LiNbO crystals-anisotropic diffraction: erratum.

We address the errors found in our recent analysis of anisotropy of the acousto-optic figure of merit performed for the case of LiNbO crystals [Appl. Opt.55, 2439 (2016)APOPAI0003-693510.

Anisotropy of an acousto-optic figure of merit for NaBi(MoO) crystals.

We develop a technique for analyzing the anisotropy of an acousto-optic figure of merit for crystals belonging to tetragonal symmetry groups 4/m, 4, and 4¯. The technique is based on phenomenological relations that describe anisotropies of the effective elasto-optic coefficients and the acoustic wave velocities. Our approach is verified on the example of NaBi(MoO) crystals for all possible types and geometries of acousto-optic interactions.

Anisotropy of acousto-optic figure of merit for LiNbO crystals: anisotropic diffraction.

We have developed a method for the analysis of anisotropy of an acousto-optic figure of merit (AOFM), which is valid for the case of anisotropic diffraction in the trigonal crystals of the point symmetries 3m, 32, and 3¯m. The method is verified via the example of LiNbO crystals. The relations for the effective elasto-optic coefficients and the AOFM are obtained for the three types of acousto-optic (AO) interactions peculiar for the anisotropic AO diffraction: the interaction of a so-called type VII with a quasi-longitudinal acoustic wave and the interactions of types VIII and IX with two quasi-transverse acoustic waves.

Anisotropy of the acousto-optic figure of merit for LiNbO₃ crystals: isotropic diffraction.

We have developed an approach for analyzing the anisotropy of the acousto-optic figure of merit (AOFM) for lithium niobate crystals in the case of isotropic acousto-optic (AO) diffraction. The working relations for the effective elasto-optic coefficients and the AOFM have been derived. We have found that, under the conditions of isotropic AO diffraction, the maximum AOFM value for LiNbO3 is equal to 11.

Photoelastic properties of NaBi(MoO4)2 crystals.

In this work we present the results of comprehensive studies of the piezo-optic and elasto-optic effects in NaBi(MoO) crystals. The full matrices of the piezo-optic and elasto-optic coefficients for the NaBi(MoO) crystals are obtained for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The acousto-optic effect in the NaBi(MoO) is analyzed for the case of interactions of optical waves with the slowest acoustic waves.

Acoustic anisotropy of acoustooptic TI(3)AsS(4) crystals.

We present comprehensive experimental measurements and analysis of anisotropy of the acoustic wave velocities for TI(3)AsS(4) crystals, including the obliquity and nonorthogonality of the acoustic waves, and the deviations from purely longitudinal and transverse polarization types. We have found that the crystals under analysis are characterized by rather low transverse wave velocities v(23) and v(32), which are both equal to 630 m/s. It is shown that the efficiency of acoustooptic (AO) interactions in TI(3)AsS(4) can be notably increased when providing anisotropic interaction with the slowest transverse acoustic wave.

Anisotropy of acousto-optic figure of merit in optically isotropic media.

We suggest a new approach for analyzing spatial anisotropy of an acousto-optic figure of merit (AOFM). The relations for the effective elasto-optic coefficients and the AOFM are derived for all possible types of acousto-optic (AO) interactions in optically isotropic media, including nonsolid-state and solid-state amorphous media and crystals belonging to the cubic system. Our approach allows for finding the optimal geometries of AO interactions characterized by the highest AOFM for a given material.

Faraday effect in Sn2P2S6 crystals.

We have revealed a large Faraday rotation in tin thiohypodiphosphate (Sn(2)P(2)S(6)) crystals, which makes this material promising for magneto-optics. The effective Faraday tensor component and the Verdet constant for the direction of the optic axis have been determined by measuring the pure Faraday rotation in Sn(2)P(2)S(6) crystals with both the single-ray and small-angular polarimetric methods at the normal conditions and a wavelength of 632.8 nm.

Acousto-optic interaction in alpha-BaB(2)O(4)and Li(2)B(4)O(7) crystals.

Experimental studies and analysis of acousto-optic diffraction in alpha-BaB(2)O(4) and Li(2)B(4)O(7) crystals are given. Ultrasonic wave velocity, elastic compliance and stiffness coefficients, and piezo-optic and photoelastic coefficients of alpha-BaB(2)O(4) and Li(2)B(4)O(7) crystals are determined. The acousto-optic figure of merit has been estimated for different possible geometries of acousto-optic interaction.