The complex linear electro-optic coefficient d 41 was determined for the first time above the fundamental band gap of GaAs and InP by measuring the doping induced band bending of several oxidized samples in reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy. From the real and imaginary part of the change of the spectra for different carrier concentrations the spectral change of d 41 was calculated. This is the first determination of the imaginary part Im ðd 41 Þ.