Structural,thermal, mechanical and z‐scan studies on 4‐nitrophenol single crystals

4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) single crystals have been grown by using slow evaporation and slow cooling techniques. A single crystal with size in the range of 7x3.4x1.8cm³ has been obtained by slow cooling method. The grown crystals have been subjected to various characterization studies. The powder XRD spectrum of 4‐NP reveals the good crystalline nature of the grown crystal. Single crystal XRD studies show that the crystal belongs to monoclinic system with cell parameters of a=6.09 Å, b=8.79 Å, c=11.61 Å, α=γ=90°, β=103.15°. The resultant FTIR spectrum confirms the various functional groups present in 4‐NP. Thermal analysis has been performed on the material to study the thermal stability of 4‐NP. The grown crystals belong to the category of soft materials as confirmed by Vickers Hardness tests. The optical transmiitance of 4‐NP single crystals has been measured from Vis‐IR spectroscopy study. The nonlinear optical properties have been analyzed by z‐scan technique and 4‐NP is found to be self defocusing because of its negative nonlinear refractive index. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth and characterization of 4‐(2‐hydroxyphenylamino)‐pent‐3‐en‐2‐one single crystals

4‐(2‐hydroxyphenylamino)‐pent‐3‐en‐2‐one (HPAP) was synthesized and single crystals were grown by the solution growth technique using methanol as a solvent. The crystals having orthorhombic symmetry were characterized by single crystal XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, TGA, DSC and dielectric studies. Very less variation in the value of dielectric constant is found for different frequencies of applied field. The crystals were exhibiting positive photoconductivity and poor NLO responses. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth of benzophenone single crystals from solution: A novel approach with 100% solute ‐ crystal conversion efficiency

An unidirectional 60mm diameter benzophenone single crystal was successfully grown by utilizing a novel crystal growth method at room temperature. <110> oriented single crystal ingots were grown out of xylene as solvent and by fixing a seed at the bottom of the ampoule. The obtained benzophenone ingots with the sizes of 10mm, 25mm and 60mm diameter evident that ease in increasing the diameter of the ingot. The orientation of the ingot and the crystalline quality were justified by X‐ray studies. TG and DTA evaluated the thermal properties of the grown crystal. The optical transmission study and the powder SHG measurement show the suitability of the ingot for nonlinear optical applications. The achieved solute‐crystal conversion efficiency of hundred percent shows vital advantage of this technique for cost effectiveness. The microbial growth as in the case of amino acid based growth solutions can be more effectively controlled in the present method since the freshly prepared growth solution can be constantly made available to the growing crystal. © 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim     

Growth and characterization of 4‐Aminopyridinium‐4‐nitro phenolate single crystals

Organic optical material 4‐Aminopyridinium‐4‐nitro phenolate (4AP4NP) has been synthesized, and single crystals of size 20 x 14 x 6 mm³ have been grown from acetone solvent at room temperature by solvent evaporation technique. The grown crystals have been characterized by X‐ray diffraction to determine the cell parameters, and by FT‐IR technique to confirm the formation of the expected compound. The crystal belongs to monoclinic crystal system with space group P2₁/a.The structural perfection of the grown crystals has been analyzed by high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction (HRXRD) rocking curve measurements. The thermal stability of the compound has been determined by TG‐DTA curves. The transmittance of 4AP4NP has been used to determine the refractive index n; the extinction coefficient K and both the real ε_r and imaginary ε_i components of the dielectric constant as functions of photon energy. The optical band gap of 4AP4NP is 2.4 eV. The dielectric and mechanical behavior of the specimen was also studied. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optical and mechanical properties of a new second order nonlinear optical crystal urea l‐threonine

A new second order non‐linear optical organic crystal Urea L‐threonine has been grown by aqueous solution slow cooling technique. The grown crystal is non hygroscopic and transparent in the visible region. The solubility of the grown crystal was found. The crystal structure and perfection were determined using powder XRD and High resolution XRD. The molecular structure was confirmed by ¹H‐NMR spectrum. Thermal properties of the crystal have been studied using thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The dielectric response of the crystal with varying frequencies at different temperatures was studied. UV‐Visible spectrum was recorded to study the optical transparency of the grown crystals. The second order non linear optical property was examined by Kurtz powder technique and found that the second order susceptibilities is 1.2 KDP at wavelength 1064 nm. The mechanical behaviour was studied by Vickers Microhardness test. The results are discussed in detail. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Structural,thermal and optical studies on 2‐naphthol crystals

Single crystals of 2‐naphthol was grown in slow evaporation solution growth technique. Grown crystals were characterized by various characterization techniques. Powder X‐ ray diffraction studies reveal that the grown crystal belongs to monoclinic system with noncentrosymmetric space group. Vibrational bands of the various functional groups and their significance were investigated by analyzing the vibrational spectra. Melting point and the decomposition temperature of the grown crystal was premeditated from the thermal analysis. From the UV‐VIS‐NIR spectrum the electronic excitation mechanism and the transmittance abilities of the crystal was studied. Theoretical value of first static hyperpolarizability was calculated and compared with urea. Second harmonic generation efficiency of the crystal is 0.6 times that of KDP. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Crystal growth,morphology, spectrographic characterization and thermal properties of 4,5‐bis(benzoylthio)‐1,3‐dithiole‐2‐thione

Single crystals of 4,5‐bis(benzoylthio)‐1,3‐dithiole‐2‐thione (BBDT), were grown from methylene chloride and the growth morphology was deduced by the Bravais–Friedel Donnay–Harker (BFDH) model. The grown crystals were characterized by optical absorption, infrared, Raman and X‐ray powder diffraction spectroscopy. The thermal behavior of BBDT has been investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis measurements in air. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Vibrational,optical and microhardness studies of trimethoprim DL ‐malate

Trimethoprim malate, an organic crystal, has been synthesized using slow evaporation method from its aqueous solution. Structural, optical and the mechanical properties of the grown crystal have been investigated by various characterization techniques which include FTIR spectra, single crystal XRD, UV‐Vis spectra and Vickers microhardness testing. The structure of the compound predicted by analysing the recorded FTIR spectrum compliments the structure determined using single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction study reveals that the crystals are monoclinic [P2₁/c, a=12.9850 Å, b=9.3038 Å, c=15.6815 Å and β=111.065°]. The UV‐Vis spectrum exhibits maximum transparency (98%) for a wide range suggesting the suitability of the title compound for optical applications. The optical constants have been calculated and illustrated graphically. Microhardness tests have been performed on the cystal under study and the Vicker hardness number has been calculated. The work hardening coefficient is found to be 2.85 which suggest that the crystal belongs to the family of soft materials. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth and characterization of L‐lysine monohydrochloride dihydrate (L‐LMHCl) single crystal

A nonlinear optical crystal of L‐lysine monohydrochloride dihydrate (L‐LMHCl) was grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique using deionised water and mixed solvents of deionised water and ethanol. The functional groups and vibrational frequencies were identified using FTIR and FT‐RAMAN spectra analyses. Also, the presence of hydrogen and carbon atoms in the grown sample was confirmed using proton and carbon NMR spectra analyses. Using TG‐DTA analyses, the decomposition temperature was obtained. Transmittance of the grown crystals was analysed using UV‐visible spectrum. The mechanical strength of the grown crystals was found using Vicker's microhardness tester. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth and magneto‐optical characteristics of cerium‐doped terbium gallium garnet by the floating zone method

Cerium‐doped terbium gallium garnet single crystal having a large Verdet constant was grown by floating zone (FZ) method, which was suitable for the use in optical devices. The lattice parameters and the X‐ray rocking curve measurement of the crystal was determined by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The Verdet constant of the crystal (B = 0.55 T) at the wavelength of 632.8 nm was −165.8 rad m⁻¹ T⁻¹ at room temperature, 23.7% larger than that of pure TGG (−134.0 rad m⁻¹ T⁻¹). The performance of the high optical quality and excellent magneto‐optical properties of the crystal shows the great potential of using this new method to meet the increasing demand of VI‐NIR Faraday rotators.     

Synthesis,growth and characterization of l‐alaninium oxalate ‐ a novel organic NLO crystal

Nonlinear optical material of L‐alaninium oxalate (LAO) has been synthesized and single crystals are grown by slow evaporation technique. The solubility data of LAO is determined in water. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction study showed that LAO belongs to orthorhombic system with a non‐centrosymmetric space‐group P2₁2₁2₁. The functional groups have been identified from FT‐IR spectrum. The UV‐Vis‐NIR spectrum of LAO shows less optical absorption in the entire visible region. The second harmonic generation (SHG) in the material was estimated using Nd:YAG laser. The mechanical properties of the grown crystals are studied using Vickers microhardness tester. The AC and DC conductivity, and dielectric studies are also carried out and reported for the first time. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The Czochralski Method ‐ where we are 90 years after Jan Czochralski’s invention

The Czochralski method, i.e. pulling a crystal from the melt, became the most important technology for the production of large semiconductor (Si, GaAs, InP, GaP …) and optical crystals (oxides, CaF₂ …). The present status is achieved by a profound analysis of the mechanisms of heat and species transport which are relevant for the stability of the Czochralski growth process and the performance of the growing crystal. It was clearly demonstrated in the last few years that modeling by numerical simulation is an indispensable tool to analyze the Czochralski process and to understand the governing mechanisms. The contribution presents examples of this kind of modeling the Czochralski technique in correlation with experimental investigations in order to illustrate the present status of understanding relevant processing phenomena. Furthermore, it is shown what problems need still to be solved in the future in order to further improve the yield and quality of Czochralski‐grown crystals. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth and characterization of thiourea mixed cadmium – lead chloride – a nonlinear optical crystal

Nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal of thiourea mixed cadmium–lead chloride dihydrate Cd[(PbCl₃)(NH₂CSNH₂)].2H₂O (TCCPC) have been grown in solution by slow evaporation technique at room temperature. The powder X‐ray diffraction pattern has been recorded and indexed. The UV‐Vis‐NIR transmittance and FT‐IR spectrum have been recorded in the range 200‐1090 nm and 400‐4000 cm^‐1, respectively. The lower cut‐off wavelength is 280 nm in the UV region, which is higher than that of pure Cd(PbCl₃) (CCPC) crystal. The presence of functional groups has been confirmed by FT‐IR analysis. The TCCPC crystal was characterized by SEM and EDX spectrum. The second harmonic generation (SHG) of the thiourea mixed cadmium–lead chloride (TCCPC) crystal is demonstrated by the Kurtz Perry method using Nd:YAG laser and the results confirm that the grown crystal is roughly three times more efficient than ADP. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Crystal structure,spectroscopic studies and non‐linear optical properties of 2‐amino‐3‐nitropyridinium trichloroacetate

A new quadratic nonlinear optical crystal, 2‐amino‐3‐nitropyridinium trichloroacetate (2A3NPTCA), was synthesized and the single crystals were grown by slow evaporation method at room temperature. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction and powder X‐ray diffraction experiments were carried out in order to confirm the structure and crystalline nature of 2A3NPTCA crystal. The chemical bonding and various functional groups present in the 2A3NPTCA were identified from FT‐IR spectrum. The UV–visible–NIR transmission spectrum shows that it is suitable for frequency‐converting in the wavelength region of 431–1200 nm. Thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were carried out to characterize the thermal behaviors of the grown crystals. Kurtz and Perry powder method for second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements demonstrate that 2A3NPTCA is a phase matching material and its nonlinear optical efficiency is two times that of KDP. All the above results suggest that 2A3NPTCA is a potential candidate of NLO material.     

The Crystal and Molecular Structure of 11,12‐dibromo‐ 7,8—benzo‐1,5‐di(p—tolylsulphonyl)‐1,5‐diazacyclononan

The crystal structure of the title compound, C₂₅H₂₆Br₂N₂O₄S₂ was determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction technique. The crystals are monoclinic, space group C 2/c, with a=20.7142(2) Å b=11.7910(2) Å, c= 10.6735(3) Å, β=98.549(2)°, V=2577.94(9) ų, Z=4. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined by least‐squares methods to a final R=0.046 for 1866 observed reflections with I>2sigma(I). The title compound, displays disordered geometry around the C1 atom located almost on twofold axis. The nine‐membered heterocylic ring is close to the half‐chair conformation. The dihedral angle between phenyl rings is 34.2(1)°.     

Preparation,physicochemical and third order nonlinear optical properties of bis(tetrabutylammonium)bis(2‐thioxo‐1,3‐dithiole‐4,5‐dithiolato)mercurate(II)

Bis(tetrabutylammonium)bis(2‐thioxo‐1,3‐dithiole‐4,5‐dithiolato)mercurate(II) was prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, electronic absorption, infrared and X‐ray powder diffraction spectroscopy. The specific heat of the crystal was measured to be 1878.2 J.mol^–1K^–1 at 300 K. The thermal decomposition process was investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis measurements in air together with infrared and X‐ray powder diffraction spectra. The third‐order nonlinear optical properties at 800 nm were measured by femtosecond optical Kerr gate technique by using CS₂ as reference. The third‐order optical susceptibility of its acetone solution at the concentration of 9.27 × 10^–4 M was obtained to be 2.53 × 10^–14 esu. The second‐order hyperpolarizability was estimated to be 1.7 × 10^–32 esu and the response time was about 226 fs. The third order nonlinear optical properties at 532 nm were investigated by using the Z‐scan technique with 20 ps. It exhibited self‐focusing effect and saturable absorption. The second molecular hyperpolarizability was estimated to be 8.4 × 10^–32 esu. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A Novel Nonlinear Optical Complex Crystal with an Organic Ligand Coordinated through an O Atom: Tetrathiocyanatocadmiummercury‐Dimethyl Sulfoxide

A novel nonlinear optical complex crystal with an organic ligand coordinated through an O atom: tetrathiocyanatocadmiummercury‐dimethyl sulfoxide, [CdHg(SCN)₄(H₆C₂OS)₂], (CMTD) is reported for the first time. Single crystals have been grown by temperature‐lowering method, the crystals tructure has been determined, and some physical properties are given. The relations between the crystal structure and nonlinear optical properties are also discussed.     

Synthesis,growth, morphology of the semiorganic nonlinear optical crystal L‐glutamic acid hydrochloride and its structural,thermal and SHG characterizations

One of the halide derivatives of L ‐glutamic acid which was identified as a semiorganic nonlinear optical material, L ‐glutamic acid hydrochloride [HOOC(CH₂)₂CH(NH₂)COOH.HCl], was grown as bulk single crystal and its significant properties were characterized. The stoichiometric title compound was synthesized and the solubility of its recrystallized form in DD water was determined in the temperature range 30–80 °C by gravimetric method. Structural confirmation was carried out by powder X ‐ray diffraction study through lattice parameter verification. Optical quality smaller dimension single crystals were grown from aqueous solution by self nucleation through slow evaporation of solvent method and a large dimension single crystal was grown by slow cooling method with reversible seed rotation technique. Morphological importances of different growth facets of the as grown crystals were studied through optical goniometry. Unit cell structure of the grown crystal was refined by single crystal X ‐ray diffraction analysis, functional groups present in the crystal responsible for various modes of vibrations were confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy analysis, thermal stability of the grown crytal was analysed by TG/DTA and DSC and second harmonic generation (SHG) of a fundamental Nd:YAG laser beam by Kurtz technique. Results indicate that the grown crystal is in stoichiometric composition and has significant improvement in its thermal and SHG properties when compared to pure L ‐glutamic acid polymorphs.     

Structural,thermal and optical characterizations of a NLO material: L‐alaninium oxalate

An organic electro‐optic and nonlinear optical (NLO) material, L‐alaninium oxalate, was synthesized by the standard method. The synthesized material was purified by repeated recrystallization. Single crystals were grown by the slow evaporation technique. The grown crystals were transparent and had optimum dimensions (20 × 3 × 2 mm³) and were characterized by single crystal XRD, FT‐NMR, FT‐IR, TGA‐DTA and UV‐Vis‐NIR techniques. The second harmonic generation (SHG) from the material was confirmed using Nd:YAG laser. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Nucleation kinetics and growth aspects of organic nonlinear optical L‐arginine trifluoroacetate single crystals

Experimental determination of solubility, metastable zonewidth and induction period for an organic nonlinear optical (NLO) L‐arginine trifluoroacetate (LATF) crystal is reported. The interfacial tension for different supersaturation conditions has been estimated for the LATF solution at 45°C. Bulk crystal of dimensions 57x5x3 mm³ has been grown by temperature lowering technique using optimized growth parameters. Powder X‐ray diffraction and FTIR studies confirm the crystalline nature and the functional groups of the grown crystals respectively. Linear optical property of the grown crystal has been studied by UV‐Vis spectrum. Thermal analyses have revealed that the compound is thermally stable upto 212°C. Kurtz powder SHG test confirm the nonlinear optical properties of the as‐grown LATF crystal. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)