Abstract
A simple technique to measure electro-optic coefficients has been developed. It is based on rotating analyzer polarimetry. With a coaxial configuration of the optically active polarizing devices, the synchronously digitized signals are Fourier analyzed to quantitatively determine the elliptical polarization of light and, hence, the electric field induced birefringence. This technique has the advantage that it does not require waveguiding, and since it is improved from the crossed polarizer method it measures the phase retardation directly. It has been applied for the precise determination of electro-optic coefficients of uniaxial LiNbO3 single crystals. The excellent agreeement with reported values confirms its usefulness toward accurate characterization of electro-optic coefficients of unknown specimens.