Uma i-voltage ingezwa ku-electro-optic crystal, i-refractive index kanye nezinye izakhiwo ze-optical ze-crystal ziyashintsha, zishintsha isimo se-polarization segagasi lokukhanya, ukuze ukukhanya oku-polarized okujikelezayo kube ukukhanya oku-elliptically polarized, bese kuba ukukhanya oku-linearly polarized ngokusebenzisa i-polarizer, bese kuthi amandla okukhanya aguqulwe. Ngalesi sikhathi, igagasi lokukhanya liqukethe ulwazi lomsindo futhi lisakazeka endaweni ekhululekile. I-photodetector isetshenziselwa ukwamukela isignali ye-optical eguquliwe endaweni yokwamukela, bese kwenziwa ukuguqulwa kwesekethe ukuguqula isignali ye-optical ibe isignali kagesi. Isignali yomsindo ibuyiselwa yi-demodulator, futhi ekugcineni ukudluliselwa kwe-optical kwesignali yomsindo kuqediwe. I-voltage esetshenzisiwe iyisignali yomsindo edlulisiwe, engaba umphumela we-radio recorder noma i-tape drive, futhi empeleni iyisignali ye-voltage eshintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.