Xa i-voltage yongezwa kwi-electro-optic crystal, i-refractive index kunye nezinye iimpawu ze-optical ze-crystal ziyatshintsha, zitshintsha imeko ye-polarization ye-light wave, ukuze ukukhanya okujikelezileyo okujikelezileyo kube kukukhanya okujikelezileyo okujikelezileyo, kuze kube kukukhanya okujikelezileyo okujikelezileyo ngokusebenzisa i-polarizer, kwaye amandla okukhanya ayaguqulwa. Ngeli xesha, i-light wave iqulethe ulwazi lwesandi kwaye isasazeka kwindawo ekhululekileyo. I-photodetector isetyenziselwa ukufumana i-modulated optical signal kwindawo yokwamkela, kwaye emva koko ukuguqulwa kwesekethe kwenziwa ukuguqula i-optical signal ibe yisignali yombane. Isignali yesandi ibuyiselwa yi-demodulator, kwaye ekugqibeleni ukuhanjiswa kwe-optical kwesignali yesandi kugqityiwe. I-voltage esetyenzisiweyo yisignali yesandi edluliselweyo, enokuba yimveliso yerekhoda yerediyo okanye i-tape drive, kwaye eneneni yisignali ye-voltage etshintsha ngokuhamba kwexesha.