Electric field-induced stress–birefringence in layered composites PbZr_1-xTi_xO₃/Polycarbonate

Electro–optical composites based on the product of electro--strictive and elasto--optical effects are developed. Layered composites of PbZr_1-xTi_xO₃ and polycarbonate are synthesised. Their electro–optical properties are studied. The nominal transverse electro–optical coefficient of the composite is observed to be about 3.6 times larger than that of LiNbO₃. Experiments and theoretical analyses show that the electro–optical effect of the composite has a strong 'size effect'. With the ratio of thickness/length decreasing or the width of elasto–optical phase increasing, the half-wave electric field intensity increases but the transverse electro–optical coefficient decreases for the layered composite.