Method and device for characterising an electric signal propagating through a sample

Process for characterising an electric signal (10), comprising:

• a propagation of a first light beam (18) through an electro-optic medium (17) in a first direction of propagation, at least one optical property of the medium varying when it is subjected to an electric field,
• the process being characterized in that it furthermore comprises:
• a propagation of a second light beam (19) through the electro-optic medium in a second direction of propagation different from the first direction, for each of the light beams, a measurement of a variation of an optical property of the light beam (18;
• 19) due to its propagation in the electro-optic medium 17), and
• a determination, from the measurements, of a direction of propagation (20) of the electric signal (10) subjecting the electro-optic medium (17) to an electric field.

Device for characterising an electric signal, comprising:

• means (1, 5, 15, 33, 34) for propagating a first light beam through an electro-optic medium (17) in a first direction of propagation, at least one optical property of the medium (17) varying when it is subjected to an electric field,
• the device being characterized in that it furthermore comprises:
• means (1, 5, 16, 35, 36) for propagating a second light beam through the electro-optic medium (17) in a second direction of propagation different from the first direction,
• for each of the light beams, means (25, 27;
• 24, 26) for measuring a variation of an optical property of the light beam (18;
• 19) due to its propagation in the electro-optic medium (17), and
• means for determining, from the measurements of variation, a direction of propagation (20) of the electric signal (10) subjecting the medium to an electric field.