In situ growth of an ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate single crystal by the vertical Bridgman technique: a potential nonlinear optical material for third-harmonic generation

Abstract

Optically transparent single crystals of ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate (EPHB) were successfully grown by the vertical Bridgman technique. The crystalline phase and unit-cell dimensions were obtained from powder X-ray diffraction using Rietveld analysis. The presence of defects and grain boundaries was investigated by high-resolution X-ray diffraction. The optical quality of the grown single crystal was assessed by UV–Vis and photoluminescent spectroscopies. A blue emission, with a bi-exponential decay time, was obtained from time-resolved photoluminescence upon laser excitation at 266 nm. The mechanical strength of the EPHB single crystal was studied by Vickers hardness testing. A decrease in the laser-damage threshold was observed with a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser source for increased pulse repetition rates. The third-order nonlinearity, nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index were measured using the Z-scan technique with a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The third-order nonlinear coefficient values for the grown crystal were compared with those of a potassium dihydrogen phosphate single crystal.

Shock-wave-induced variation in structural, optical and third-order nonlinear properties of an L-ascorbic acid single crystal

“…In this study, a Ti: sapphire laser at a wavelength of 800 nm was utilized to measure the transmission in both open-and closed-aperture procedures for characterization purposes. The comprehensive experimental configuration was previously documented in earlier literature (Sheik-bahae et al, 1989;Nayak et al, 2021).…”