Patent ID: 6859467

Claim:
An electro-optic apparatus that will obtain a net phase retardation on the polarization of a laser beam for controlling the switching of the laser beam, comprising: a crystal with electro-optic characteristics for controlling the switching of the laser beam, said crystal having a first connection face and a second connection face, said first connection face and said second connection face being generally parallel, said crystal composed of a compound having the chemical formula ReAe40(BO3)3 where: RE consists of one or more of the following elements La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and two other elements Y and Sc; and where Ae is from the list of Ca, Sr, or Ba; and means for applying a voltage across said crystal from said first connection face to said second connection face utilizing said electro-optic characteristics to obtain a net phase retardation on the polarization of the laser beam when the laser beam is passed through said crystal for controlling the switching of the laser beam.