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Kerr cell
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Arrangement for an optical shutter, operating by the Kerr effect
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Kerr cell

Also known as: Kerr electro-optical shutter, electro-optical shutter(Show More)
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Arrangement for an optical shutter, operating by the Kerr effect
Arrangement for an optical shutter, operating by the Kerr effect

The Kerr cell is a device that utilizes the Kerr electro-optic effect to rapidly control the intensity of light. This effect, discovered by John Kerr, involves inducing double refraction in a transparent substance when a strong electric field is applied. In a Kerr cell, typically filled with a liquid like nitrobenzene, this phenomenon allows for the interruption of a light beam up to 1010 times per second. This capability makes Kerr cells useful in applications such as high-speed photography, measuring the speed of light, and in laser and communication studies.12

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