Editing Pockels effect (section)

===Applications===
Pockels cells are used in a variety of scientific and technical applications. A Pockels cell, combined with a polarizer, can be used for switching between initial polarization state and half-wave phase retardance, creating a fast shutter capable of "opening" and "closing" in [[nanosecond]]s. The same technique can be used to impress information on the beam by modulating the rotation between 0° and 90°; the exiting beam's [[Intensity (physics)|intensity]], when viewed through the polarizer, contains an [[amplitude modulation|amplitude-modulated]] signal. This modulated signal can be used for time-resolved electric field measurements when a crystal is exposed to an unknown electric field.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Consoli|first1=F.|last2=De Angelis|first2=R.|last3=Duvillaret|first3=L.|last4=Andreoli|first4=P. L.|last5=Cipriani|first5=M.|last6=Cristofari|first6=G.|last7=Di Giorgio|first7=G.|last8=Ingenito|first8=F.|last9=Verona|first9=C.|title=Time-resolved absolute measurements by electro-optic effect of giant electromagnetic pulses due to laser-plasma interaction in nanosecond regime|journal=Scientific Reports|date=15 June 2016|volume=6|issue=1|page=27889|doi=10.1038/srep27889|bibcode=2016NatSR...627889C|pmc=4908660|pmid=27301704}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Robinson|first1=T. S.|last2=Consoli|first2=F.|last3=Giltrap|first3=S.|last4=Eardley|first4=S. J.|last5=Hicks|first5=G. S.|last6=Ditter|first6=E. J.|last7=Ettlinger|first7=O.|last8=Stuart|first8=N. H.|last9=Notley|first9=M.|last10=De Angelis|first10=R.|last11=Najmudin|first11=Z.|last12=Smith|first12=R. A.|title=Low-noise time-resolved optical sensing of electromagnetic pulses from petawatt laser-matter interactions|journal=Scientific Reports|date=20 April 2017|volume=7|issue=1|page=983|doi=10.1038/s41598-017-01063-1|bibcode=2017NatSR...7..983R|pmc=5430545|pmid=28428549}}</ref>

Pockels cells are used as a [[Q-switching|Q-switch]] to generate short, high-intensity laser pulse. The Pockels cell prevents optical amplification by introducing a polarization dependent loss in the laser cavity. This allows the [[gain medium]] to have a high [[population inversion]]. When the [[Active laser medium|gain medium]] has the desired [[population inversion]], the Pockels cell is switched "open", and a short high energy laser pulse is created. Q-switched lasers are used in a variety of applications, such as medical aesthetics, metrology, manufacturing, and holography.

Pulse picking is another application that uses a Pockels cell. A pulse picker is typically composed of an oscillator, electro-optic modulator, amplifiers, high voltage driver, and a frequency doubling modulator along with a Pockels cell.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhao |first1=Zhi |title=An ultrafast laser pulse picker technique for high-average-current high-brightness photoinjectors |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |year=2020 |volume=959 |page=163586 |publisher=Elsevier |doi=10.1016/j.nima.2020.163586 |bibcode=2020NIMPA.95963586Z |s2cid=213227045 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The Pockels cell can pick up a pulse from a laser induced bunch while blocking the rest by synchronized electro-optic switching.

Pockels cells are also used in [[Regenerative amplification|regenerative amplifiers]], [[chirped pulse amplification]], and [[Q-switching#Variants|cavity dumping]] to let optical power in and out of lasers and optical amplifiers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pichon |first1=Pierre |last2=Taleb |first2=Hussein |last3=Druon |first3=Frédéric |last4=Blanchot |first4=Jean-Philippe |last5=Georges |first5=Patrick |last6=Balembois |first6=François |title=Tunable UV source based on an LED-pumped cavity-dumped Cr:LiSAF laser |journal=Optics Express |date=5 August 2019 |volume=27 |issue=16 |pages=23446–23453 |doi=10.1364/OE.27.023446 |pmid=31510620 |bibcode=2019OExpr..2723446P |s2cid=201256144 |issn=1094-4087|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Pockels cells can be used for [[quantum key distribution]] by [[Photon polarization|polarizing]] [[photon]]s.

Pockels cells in conjunction with other EO elements can be combined to form electro-optic probes.

Pockels cells are used in [[two-photon microscopy]] to adjust the transmitted laser intensity at a time scale of microseconds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Conoptics Model 350-80LA Electro-Optic Modulator |url=https://www.conoptics.com/modulation-systems-mpm/ |website=Conoptics Homepage |access-date=30 August 2024}}</ref>

In recent years, Pockels cells are employed at the [[National Ignition Facility]] located at [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]]. Each Pockels cell for one of the 192 lasers acts as an optical trap before exiting through an amplifier. The beams from all of the 192 lasers eventually converge onto a single target of deuterium-tritium fuel in hopes to trigger a fusion reaction.<ref>{{cite web |title=How NIF Works |url=https://lasers.llnl.gov/about/how-nif-works |website=lasers.llnl.gov |access-date=25 April 2023}}</ref>