Kerr effect

This page is about the Kerr nonlinear optical effect. For the magneto-optic phenomenon of the same name, see magneto-optic Kerr effect. The Kerr effect or the quadratic electro-optic effect (QEO effect) is a change in the refractive index of a material in response to an electric field. It is distinct from the Pockels effect in that the induced index change is directly proportional to the square of the electric field instead of to the magnitude of the field. All materials show a Kerr effect, but certain liquids display the effect more strongly than other materials do. The Kerr effect was found in 1875 by John Kerr, a Scottish physicist.
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