Editing Pockels effect (section)

=== The driver electronics ===
A Pockels cell, by design, is a [[capacitor]], and often require high voltages to change the state of the polarization of the laser beam to effectively operate as a switchable waveplate.  The voltage required depends on the type of Pockels cell, the wavelength of the light, and the size of the crystal; but typically, the voltage range is in the order of 1–10 kV. Pockels cell drivers provide this high voltage in the form of very fast pulses, which typically have rise times of less than 10 nanoseconds.

There are basically two types of drivers: a quick or Q drive which has a fast rise time, then slowly decays. A Pockels cell that uses a Q-drive is sometimes referred to as a Q-switch. The other type of driver is referred to as a regenerative or R drive. R drives will have a fast rise time and a fast fall time.  The driver's output pulse width can be from nanoseconds to microseconds long, depending on the application.  The type of drive and its repetition rate will depend on the laser and the intended application.