Three-dimensional electric-field vector measurement with an electro-optic sensing technique

Abstract

A new technique for three-dimensional (3D) electric-field (e-field) vector measurement is presented. Three laser beams with different propagation paths in an electro-optic (EO) crystal were used to resolve 3D components of e-field vectors. We adopted a special geometric shape of bismuth silicon oxide EO crystal so that the three beams would propagate within it. A sensitivity of 0.6 V/cm root Hz was achieved. A commercial Ansoft Maxwell 3D field simulator was also used to verify our measurements. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.