Electrooptic coefficients in calcium pyroniobate.

Six of the eight linear electrooptic coefficients have been measured in a crystal of class C(2) (calcium pyroniobate). This is the first time so many coefficients of a low symmetry crystal such as this have been measured. Some of the coefficients are large enough to make this material interesting for optical modulators. However, other properties of the crystal make it less desirable than other known modulator crystals. The geometry used in measuring some of the skew coefficients is discussed in some detail as are methods for determining relative signs of the coefficients.