Electro-Optic Kerr Effect in Hexagonal Barium Titanate

Electro-optic Kerr effect and related properties in the hexagonal BaTiO3 were studied at the first time. The absorption edge locates at around 380 nm, the refractive indices at 633 nm are na=2.31 and nc=2.39. The quadratic electro-optic coefficient g33-g13 is estimated as 0.12±0.02 m4/ C2 (g33~0.1 m4/ C2). The g coefficient is comparable order of magnitude to the other compounds with oxygen octahedra.