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From: whit@milton.acs.washington.edu (John Whitmore)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Can lasers be deflected electroMAGNETically?
Summary: electric deflection of light possible
Keywords: Kerr effect, nonlinear optics
Message-ID: <1208@milton.acs.washington.edu>
Date: 2 Jan 90 01:38:25 GMT
References: <6220004@hpcupt1.HP.COM>
Reply-To: whit@milton.acs.washington.edu (John Whitmore)
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Lines: 14


	There are some light-steering possibilities in propogation
of light through a medium (vacuum won't do).  The Kerr effect,
for one, changes the deflection of a particular polarization of
light as it goes through a prism (and with enough reflections through
the prism, it might just give some deflection angle that could be
useful).  The problem can also be solved by vibrating a mirror in
front of the laser, but it's not as safe and easy as a cathode ray
tube.  The Kerr effect is typically employed for Q-switching
lasers (i.e. detuning them) and uses a high voltage to get some
substantial effect; the inside of a TV has high voltages at the
scanning frequency anyway...

I am known for my brilliance,            John Whitmore
 by those who do not know me well.