A Look at Strontium Barium Metaniobate (Strawberries) as an Electro-Optic Crystal,

A review of a talk given at the University College, London, on the topic of future electro-optic crystals is given. In particular, the physical characteristics of the oxygen-octahedra O - O crystal strontium barium metaniobate BaxSr1-xNb2 O6 are treated in detail and its potential for use as an electro-optic crystal is discussed. BaxSr1-xNb2 O6, better known by its nickname, strawberries, is an attractive candidate for electro-optic use because its optical properties can be continuously varied over a wide range by varying the proportion of Ba and Sr in the crystal, and because it requires relatively small voltages for e-o operation. However, consistent growth of usable crystals is still a major problem. Author