Electrical version of Faraday effect?

[iantresman]

The Faraday effect is a magneto-optical phenomenon caused by the interaction between light and a magnetic field.

Is there a corresponding electrical-optical phenomenon, caused by the interaction between light and an electric field?

 

[marcusl]

Yes, look up the Kerr electro-optic effect.

 

[iantresman]

Thanks for that. So the Kerr Effect induces birefringence in the direction of the field, and the Pockels Effect induces birefringence perpendicular the field.

I wonder whether either effect is used in an astrophysics context? I note that there is "A novel technique for remote sensing of thunderstorm electric fields via the Kerr effect and sky polarization" (2008).