We propose an optical-sensitivity-enhanced external electro-optic (EO) measurement system using a poled polymer as an EO sensor. A pumping laser is used to induce the photoisomerization effect in a prepoled EO polymer to both enhance and maintain the noncentrosymmetric molecular orientation. This approach increases the EO coefficient and, hence, enhances the EO measurement sensitivity. Experimental results of an EO sensor made of DR1/PMMA show that this method can improve the sensitivity by at least a factor of 2.
© 2011 Optical Society of America