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Abstract

A method and apparatus for dynamically controlling variation in an attribute of a light beam employing materials with unusually high electrooptical coefficients that are subject to optical damage from the light beam being controlled. The method includes providing a transmission medium composed of a high sensitivity electrooptic material transparent to the light beam and having a nonzero electrooptic coefficient, where the medium is adapted to receive, propagate, and output the light beam. The medium is subjected to an electric field, the strength of which is controlled to determine the amount of variation of the light beam attribute. The field is generated by electrodes appropriately enclosing the medium and inducing a voltage across the electrodes. The medium is illuminated by a suppressing light source, the illumination being intense enough to significantly reduce charge distribution inhomogeneity within the medium. The intensity of the suppressing illumination is at least twice the intensity of the light beam being controlled.

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First Claim