Laser interferometry for piezoelectric material study - Possibilities and limits

Experimental problems with laser interferometric measurements of piezoelect ric response are examined. Theoretical analysis of the sources of systemati c errors and inaccuracies was done in order to set the limits for both sing le and double beam interferometers. It appears that some of the published r esults of electric-field induced displacements of order 10(-12) m are probl ematic. It is discussed in the paper which corrections must be taken into a ccount and which experimental conditions must be mentioned. A new laser int erferometer was set up on the basis of these conclusions.