Measuring low amplitude periodical phase shift without set-up stabilization: application to Pockels effect characterization

Abstract : We present an interferometric set-up for the measurement of low amplitude sinusoidal phase shifts that releases most of the constraints of usual architectures. It allows measurement without any stabilization of the set-up and can tolerate low quality fringe pattern. Due to its ease of use and its good sensitivity, this set-up can be used to measure low amplitude electro-optic coefficients with low applied voltage (less than 1V). Test measurements on LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 samples show good accordance between measured and theoretical Pockels phase shifts