We report on the crystal growth, linear and nonlinear optical properties of LiNa 5 Mo 9 O 30 . The refractive indices were measured, and a very large birefringence of 0.2545 at 450.2 nm was determined. In addition, calculated phase-matching curves indicate that LiNa 5 Mo 9 O 30 can achieve non-critical type I and type II phase-matching (NCPM) for incident 1064nm radiation. Maker-fringe measurements, to determine individual non-linear optical coefficients, were also performed on the crystals in d 31 = 1.4 pm/V, d 32 = 4.3 pm/V, and d 33 = 1.1 pm/V. The laser damage threshold (LDT) is around 1.2 GW/cm 2 at 1064 nm using a 6 ns Nd:YAG laser operating at 5The quality of the crystals were measured by high resolution x-ray diffraction rocking curve measurements that revealed a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 59'' from the (001) reflection. The absorption edge was determined to be 357 nm, with transmission up to 5.26 µm. Our results indicate that single crystal LiNa 5 Mo 9 O 30 is an excellent polarizer as well as second-order nonlinear optical material.

The syntheses of two noncentrosymmetric (NCS) vanadium oxide–fluoride compounds that originate from the same synthetic reagent concentrations are presented. Hydrothermal and low-temperature syntheses allow the isolation of metastable products that may form new phases (or decompose) upon heating and allow creation of chemically similar but structurally different materials. NCS materials synthesis has been a long-standing goal in inorganic chemistry: in this article, we compare two chemically similar NCS inorganic materials, NaVOF4(H2O) (I) and NaVO2–xF2+x (II; x = 1/3). These materials originate from the same, identical reagent mixtures but are synthesized at different temperatures: 100 °C and 150 °C, respectively. Compound I crystallizes in Pna21: a = 9.9595(4) Å, b = 9.4423(3) Å, and c = 4.8186(2) Å. Compound II crystallizes in P21: a = 6.3742(3) Å, b = 3.5963(2) Å, c = 14.3641(7) Å, and β = 110.787(3)°. Both materials display second-harmonic-generation activity; however, compound I is type 1 non-phase-matchable, whereas compound II is type 1 phase-matchable.

A single crystal of Ba4B11O20F (BBOF) with dimensions of 20 × 17 × 12 mm3 was successfully grown using the top-seeded solution growth method. BBOF melts incongruently; as such several flux systems are discussed. The morphologies and growth habits of BBOF crystals grown with differently oriented seeds, [100], [010], and [001], were investigated. Using the [010]-oriented seed, the single crystal exhibits (200) and (010) faces. Rocking curve measurements indicate that the single crystal is of high quality with a full width at half-maximum (fwhm) of 0.017° (61 arcsec) from the (010) reflection. The transmission spectrum and the refractive indices from the UV to the near-infrared region are reported. BBOF is transparent from 190–2500 nm and exhibits a birefringence of 0.0146 at 1064 nm. The type-I phase matching wavelength region was determined based on the fitted Sellmeier equations to the refractive index data. BBOF is type-I phase-matchable with fundamental (second-harmonic) wavelength ranges from 1049–2348 nm (524.5–1174 nm). In addition, the nonlinear optical coefficients for BBOF were measured using the Maker fringe method. For BBOF at 1064 nm, d 31 = 1.57 pm/V, d 32 = 0.27 pm/V, and d 33 = 0.46 pm/V.

Ba3(ZnB5O10)­PO4 (BZBP) single crystals were grown successfully by a top-seeded solution growth method. High-resolution X-ray diffraction rocking curve measurements reveal a full width at half-maximum of 34.56″ of a BZBP single crystal grown from a [101]-oriented seed. The refractive indices from the UV to the near infrared region were measured, and revealed a birefringence of 0.04179–0.03059 in the wavelength range of 253.6–2325.4 nm. In addition the type-I and type-II phase-matching range for second and third harmonic generation were calculated based on the fitted Sellmeier equations. In order to further evaluate the potential application of Ba3(ZnB5O10)­PO4, the thermal properties including specific heat, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity were also measured along different crystallographic axes.

A single crystal of the nonlinear optical material KIO3·Te­(OH)6 (KTI) with dimensions of 37 × 7 × 5 mm3 was successfully grown at room temperature by slow evaporation. Linear and nonlinear optical measurements were performed on these crystals. Rocking curve measurements indicate that the single crystal is of high quality with a full width at half-maximum (fwhm) of 0.023° (82 arcseconds) from the (010) reflection. Refractive index measurements revealed a birefringence of 0.0545 @ 1064 nm. Through the refractive index measurements and the fitted Sellmeier equations, we determined the Type I and Type II phase-matching wavelength ranges. KTI is Type I (Type II) phase-matchable with a fundamental wavelength range from 674–3266 nm (880–2260 nm). Powder second-harmonic generation (SHG) measurements indicate an SHG intensity of 1.2× KH2PO4 (KDP). SHG coefficients were determined by the Maker fringe method on cut and polished (100) and (010) single crystal wafers. The d 31 = 0.24 pm/V and d 32 = 0.73 pm/V were determined. Laser damage threshold (LDT) measurements were also performed, which indicates that KTI has an LDT of 731 MW/cm2 at 1064 nm with a 6 ns pulse width.