Piezoelectric lattice vibrations at optical frequencies

Abstract

A relationship is proposed between the piezoelectric coefficient and the dielectric constant (or refractive index) based on classical dispersion theory. Piezoelectric lattice vibrations are associated with ionic polarizations at optical frequencies. This relation is applied to study the piezoelectric lattice vibrations in α-quartz, and agreement is found between the calculated and the measured value of the piezoelectric coefficient. No direct experimental method for measurement of piezoelectric coefficients at optical frequencies exists; however, in terms of the proposed relation, piezoelectric coefficients at optical frequencies can be evaluated from infrared reflection measurements.