Electric polarization induced by optical orientation of dipolar centers in non-polar piezoelectrics

Abstract

We predict new nonlinear optical phenomenon, static electric polarization induced in non-polar piezoelectric by linearly polarized light owing to orientation of the impurity centers with permanent dipole moment. Microscopic model of this effect for the crystals of cubic symmetry is proposed. Estimations of the model show that the induced polarization might be much higher than that caused by optical rectification. It is shown that a transient current Jd generated under non-steady-state illumination could be observed at extremely high modulation frequency. We expect that the effect could be applied for ultrafast optical signal processing.