Enhancement of crystalline perfection by organic dopants in ZTS, ADP and KHP crystals as investigated by high-resolution XRD and SEM

Effect of 2,4-dinitrophenol dye doping on tristhioureazinc(II) sulfate single crystals: a potential nonlinear optical material

Good quality single crystals of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)-doped tristhioureazinc(II) sulfate (ZTS) were successfully grown by employing the simple and cost effective slow-evaporation solution technique. To study the effect of doping on various device properties, the grown single crystals were subjected to powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), high-resolution XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Vickers hardness testing, and UV–visible, photoluminescence (PL) and Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. The crystal structure of DNP-doped ZTS bulk single crystals remained the same as the crystal structure of ZTS. However, the changes in intensities of the diffraction peaks in the PXRD spectra indicated the incorporation of dopants into the crystalline matrix. FTIR studies confirm the incorporation of dopants into the crystalline matrix, shown by the shifting of certain prominent absorption bands towards higher energy. This also indicated the induced useful strain due to doping, leading to charge transfer and the enhancement of nonlinear optical properties. The cut-off wavelength and optical band gap energy of pure ZTS and DNP-doped ZTS crystals were studied by UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, revealing a slight reduction in the optical band gap energy due to doping, which in turn revealed the enhancement of the optical range. PL studies revealed an enhanced optical range of photoluminescence in ZTS crystals. Second harmonic generation (SGH) studies carried out by the Kurtz powder technique revealed the enhancement of SHG value due to DNP doping. To ensure the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the grown crystals with doping (required from the point of view of device applications), TGA and Vicker's hardness studies were performed.

Characterization of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate crystals for soft X-ray optics of the Beam Expander Testing X-ray facility (BEaTriX)

A new type of X-ray facility, the Beam Expander Testing X-ray facility (BEaTriX), has been designed and is now under construction at INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera (Merate, Italy) to perform the acceptance tests of the silicon pore optics modules of the ATHENA X-ray telescope. Crystals of high perfection and large dimensions are needed in order to obtain a wide beam (20 × 6 cm) with an X-ray divergence of <0.5′′ and an X-ray energy purity ΔE/E < 10−5. To generate X-ray diffracted beams at an X-ray energy of 1.49 keV, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) crystals have been considered among other possible choices, because of their reported crystal quality and because they can be grown at sufficiently large size at a reasonable price. In the present paper, the results of the characterization of crystalline quality and lattice planarity of a 20 × 20 × 2 mm ADP sample are reported.

Hydrogels based on poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid) and Tween 85 for sustained delivery of hydrophobic drugs

Hydrogels based on poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid) and Tween 85 were prepared for hydrophobic drug delivery. The hydrogels were synthesized following a simple procedure carried out in solid state. The process did not require the use of any solvent and, as it is based on an esterification reaction, no toxic by-products were obtained. The resulting hydrogels contained Tween 85 inside the structure and due to the amphiphilic nature of this compound, hydrophobic domains within the hydrogel structure were formed. The obtained hydrogels showed good swelling capacities ranging from 100% to 600%. The esterification reaction that took place between poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid) and Tween 85 was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. Hydrogels were loaded with a hydrophobic drug model, Curcumin (CUR), showing that the hydrogels were able to retain up to 36 mg of CUR per g of hydrogel. Additionally, the synthesized hydrogels provided in vitro sustained CUR release over periods of up to 30 days. Finally, and due to the mucoadhesive nature of the prepared materials, one of the hydrogels was tested in vitro as an oral drug delivery system. For this purpose, the selected material was milled into microparticles (45-90 µm diameter). The release of CUR from the microparticles was evaluated under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. The microparticles were able to release their cargos in 7 h. However, further work is required to optimize this system for oral drug delivery applications.

Difference between Chitosan Hydrogels via Alkaline and Acidic Solvent Systems

Chitosan (CS) has generated considerable interest for its desirable properties and wide applications. Hydrogel has been proven to be a major and vital form in the applications of CS materials. Among various types of CS hydrogels, physical cross-linked CS hydrogels are popular, because they avoided the potential toxicity and sacrifice of intrinsic properties caused by cross-linking or reinforcements. Alkaline solvent system and acidic solvent system are two important solvent systems for the preparation of physical cross-linked CS hydrogels, and also lay the foundations of CS hydrogel-based materials in many aspects. As members of physical cross-linked CS hydrogels, gel material via alkaline solvent system showed significant differences from that via acidic solvent system, but the reasons behind are still unexplored. In the present work, we studied the difference between CS hydrogel via alkaline system and acidic system, in terms of gelation process, hydrogel structure and mechanical property. In-situ/pseudo in-situ studies were carried out, including fluorescent imaging of gelation process, which provided dynamic visualization. Finally, the reasons behind the differences were explained, accompanied by the discussion about design strategy based on gelation behavior of the two systems.

Spectroscopic analysis of Ahlat stone (ignimbrite) and pumice formed by volcanic activity

Natural materials such as ignimbrites are preferred commonly not only in historical places but also in houses or in different kind of buildings all over the world especially around Ahlat in Bitlis-Turkey. Durability, lightness and good-insulation are the significative properties of these stones. Also, pumice is an another preferred material because of its advantages in construction industry. In this paper, four kinds of ignimbrite (light-yellow, yellow, black and white) and pumice from Ahlat region have been investigated by EPR method to determine magnetic properties of them. The results obtained by EPR, EDS and XRD methods are evaluated together. SEM technique is also used to understand the surface morphology of the samples.

Growth and characterization of novel organic 3-Hydroxy Benzaldehyde-N-methyl 4 Stilbazolium Tosylate crystals for NLO applications

The 3-Hydroxy Benzaldehyde-N-methyl 4-Stilbazolium Tosylate (3- HBST) is a new organic NLO crystal and it is a new derivative in stilbazolium tosylate family. In this work we have synthesized 3-HBST and the single crystal was grown by conventional slow cooling method. The structure and lattice parameters of the grown crystal were determined by the single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and it is exhibiting good crystalline nature which is observed from the powder XRD. In order to check the crystalline quality the rocking curve was recorded using multi crystal X-ray diffractometer. The functional groups were identified from both FTIR and NMR spectral analyses. The π-π* and n-π* optical transition energy levels were estimated from the absorption peaks. The NLO property was confirmed by measuring relative SHG efficiency by Kurtz powder test; it shows 24 times higher SHG efficiency than that of urea. In order to test the mechanical stability the Vickers and Knoop micro hardness measurement were carried out and found that the micro hardness number decreases with increasing load. The melting point was determined from Differential Scanning Colorimetry (DSC).

High strength chitosan rod reinforced by non-covalent functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes via an in situ precipitation method

High strength CS/MWCNTs composite rods preparedvia in situprecipitation & PaPA functionalization, with a 3D sophisticated structure and uniformly dispersed MWCNTs.

Synthesis, growth, structure and characterization of molybdenum zinc thiourea complex crystals

Single crystals of molybdenum-incorporated tris(thiourea)zinc(II) sulfate (MoZTS) are grown by the slow evaporation solution growth technique. Crystal composition as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that it belongs to the orthorhombic system with space group Pca21 and cell parameters a = 11.153 (2), b = 7.7691 (14), c = 15.408 (3) Å, V = 1335.14 (4) Å(3) and Z = 4. The surface morphological changes are studied by scanning electron microscopy. The vibrational patterns in FT-IR are used to identify the functional group and TGA/DTA (thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis) indicates the stability of the material. The structure and the crystallinity of the material were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction analysis and the simulated X-ray diffraction (XRD) closely matches the experimental one with varied intensity patterns. The band gap energy is estimated using diffuse reflectance data by the application of the Kubelka-Munk algorithm. The relative second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency measurements reveal that MoZTS has an efficiency comparable to that of tris(thiourea)zinc(II) sulfate (ZTS). Hirshfeld surfaces were derived using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Investigation of the intermolecular interactions and crystal packing via Hirshfeld surface analysis reveal that the close contacts are associated with strong interactions. Intermolecular interactions as revealed by the fingerprint plot and close packing could be the possible reasons for facile charge transfer leading to SHG activity.

Growth, crystalline perfection, spectral and optical characterization of a novel optical material: l-tryptophan p-nitrophenol trisolvate single crystal

l-tryptophan p-nitrophenol trisolvate (LTPN), an organic nonlinear optical material was synthesized using ethanol-water mixed solvent and the crystals were grown by a slow solvent evaporation method. The crystal structure and morphology were studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystalline perfection of the LTPN crystal was analyzed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction study. The molecular structure of the crystal was confirmed by observing the various characteristic functional groups of the material using vibrational spectroscopy. The cut-off wavelength, optical transmission, refractive index and band gap energy were determined using UV-visible data. The variation of refractive index with wavelength shows the normal behavior. The second harmonic generation of the crystal was confirmed and the efficiency was measured using Kurtz Perry powder method. Single and multiple shot methods were employed to measure surface laser damage of the crystal. The photoluminescence spectral study revealed that the emission may be associated with the radiative recombination of trapped electrons and holes. Microhardness measurements revealed that LTPN belongs to a soft material category.

Solid state parameters, structure elucidation, High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HRXRD), phase matching, thermal and impedance analysis on L-Proline trichloroacetate (L-PTCA) NLO single crystals

Nonlinear optical single crystal of L-Proline trichloroacetate (L-PTCA) was successfully grown by Slow Evaporation Solution Technique (SEST). The grown crystals were subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis to confirm the structure. From the single crystal XRD data, solid state parameters were determined for the grown crystal. The crystalline perfection has been evaluated using high resolution X-ray diffractometer. The frequencies of various functional groups were identified from FTIR spectral analysis. The percentage of transmittance was obtained from UV Visible spectral analysis. TGA-DSC measurements indicate the thermal stability of the crystal. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss and ac conductivity were measured by the impedance analyzer. The DC conductivity was calculated by the cole-cole plot method.

Crystal growth, spectral, structural and optical studies of π-conjugated stilbazolium crystal: 4-bromobenzaldehyde-4'-N'-methylstilbazolium tosylate

Nonlinear optical (NLO) organic compound, 4-bromobenzaldehyde-4'-N'-methylstilbazolium tosylate was synthesized by reflux method. The formation of molecular complex was confirmed from (1)H NMR, FT-IR and FT-Raman spectral analyses. The single crystals were grown by slow evaporation solution growth method and the crystal structure and atomic packing of grown crystal was identified. The morphology and growth axis of grown crystal were determined. The crystal perfection was analyzed using high resolution X-ray diffraction study on (001) plane. Thermal stability, decomposition stages and melting point of the grown crystal were analyzed. The optical absorption coefficient (α) and energy band gap (E(g)) of the crystal were determined using UV-visible absorption studies. Second harmonic generation efficiency of the grown crystal was examined by Kurtz powder method with different particle size using 1064 nm laser. Laser induced damage threshold study was carried out for the grown crystal using Nd:YAG laser.

Growth, crystalline perfection, spectral, thermal and theoretical studies on imidazolium L-tartrate crystals

Transparent optical quality single crystals of imidazolium L-tartrate (IMLT) were grown by conventional slow evaporation solution growth technique. Crystal structure of the as-grown IMLT was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Thermal analysis reveals the purity of the crystal and the sample is stable up to the melting point. Good transmittance in the visible region is observed and the band gap energy is estimated using diffuse reflectance data by the application of Kubelka-Munk algorithm. The powder X-ray diffraction study reveals the crystallinity of the as-grown crystal and it is compared with that of the experimental one. An additional peak in high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) indicates the presence of an internal structural low angle boundary. Second harmonic generation (SHG) activity of IMLT is significant as estimated by Kurtz and Perry powder technique. HOMO-LUMO energies and first-order molecular hyperpolarizability of IMLT have been evaluated using density functional theory (DFT) employing B3LYP functional and 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The optimized geometry closely resembles the ORTEP. The vibrational patterns present in the molecule are confirmed by FT-IR coinciding with theoretical patterns.

Structural, spectroscopic, optical, dielectric and mechanical study of pure and l-Proline doped ammonium dihydrogen phosphate single crystals

Single crystals of pure and l-Proline (LP) C5H9NO2 doped ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) (NH4) H2PO4 were grown by slow evaporation solution technique (SEST) at ambient conditions. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis was carried out to confirm the crystal structure and no additional phase was observed due to doping except a systematic variation in peak intensities. FT-Raman analysis also confirms that there is no additional phase formation due to doping. Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis was done to examine the presence of various functional groups in the grown crystals. UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopic analysis was carried out to see the change in optical transparency of pure ADP and crystals due to LP with different doping concentrations. The high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) analysis was carried out to examine the crystalline perfection and observed reasonable changes with LP doping. Second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency measurement was done to examine the enhancement in the nonlinear optical characteristics of the grown crystals. The dielectric behavior of the samples shows that the dielectric constant decreased with increase the value of frequency. The effect of LP dopant on crystal morphology, mechanical properties of ADP has also been presented in this paper. The above studies reveal the effect of incorporation of LP into the lattice of ADP crystals.

Structure, crystal growth, optical and mechanical studies of poly bis (thiourea) silver (I) nitrate single crystal: a new semi organic NLO material

A new semi organic non linear optical polymeric crystal, bis (thiourea) silver (I) nitrate (TuAgN) with dimension 8×7×1.5 mm(3) has been successfully grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation solution technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study reveals that the crystal belongs to orthorhombic system with non centrosymmetric space group C2221. The crystalline perfection of the crystal was analyzed by high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) rocking curve measurements. Functional groups present in the crystal were analyzed qualitatively by infrared and Confocal Raman spectral analysis. Effects due to coordination of thiourea with metal ions were also discussed. Optical absorption study on TuAgN crystal shows the minimum absorption in the entire UV-Vis region and the lower cut off wavelength of TuAgN is found to be 318 nm. Thermal analysis shows that the material is thermally stable up to 180°C. The mechanical strength and its parameters of the grown crystal were estimated by Vicker's microhardness test. The second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency of the crystal was measured by Kurtz's powder technique infers that the crystal has nonlinear optical (NLO) efficiency 0.85 times that of KDP.

Investigations on the growth aspects and characterization of semiorganic nonlinear optical single crystals of L-histidine and its hydrochloride derivative

Semiorganic single crystals of l-histidine and l-histidine hydrochloride monohydrate have been obtained in a single solution prepared from the mixture of l-histidine and hydrochloric acid in 1:2M ratio. Growth aspects of the single crystals have been discussed along with characterization studies. Crystal system and lattice parameters have been identified by X-ray diffraction analyses. It has been observed that the grown crystals possess orthorhombic system but with different set of lattice parameters. Presence of various functional groups has been identified and formation of two different crystals has been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectral analyses and FT-Raman studies. Linear and nonlinear optical properties have been studied by UV-Vis spectral analyses and Kurtz-Perry powder technique respectively. The thermal stability of the grown crystals was determined by thermal analyses. From the characterization studies it is found that both the crystals are useful for second harmonic generation applications.

A novel comparative study of crystalline perfection and optical homogeneity in Nd:GGG crystals grown by the Czochralski technique with different crystal/melt interface shapes

Nd:GGG crystals (GGG is gadolinium gallium garnet) grown with different crystal/melt interface shapes (convex/flat/concave) by varying the seed rotation rate while using the Czochralski technique were studied for their optical homogeneity and crystalline perfection by optical polarization microscopy (OPM) and high-resolution X-ray diffractometry (HRXRD), respectively. It was found that there is a remarkable effect of seed rotation rate, which decides the shape of the crystal/melt interface, on the optical homogeneity and crystalline perfection. It was found experimentally that, as the rotation rate increases, the crystal/melt interface changes from convex to flat. If the rate further increases the interface becomes concave. With a steep convex interface (for low rotation rates), certain facets are concentrated in the small central portion of the crystal, and as the rate increases, these facets slowly move outward, leading to improved optical homogeneity and crystalline perfection as observed from the OPM and HRXRD results. The strain developed in the crystalline matrix as a result of segregation of oxygen in the crystals at low seed rotation rates as observed from HRXRD seems to be the reason for the observed optical inhomogeneity. The correlation between optical inhomogeneity and crystalline perfection for a variety of specimens with different shapes of the crystal/liquid interface obtained at different seed rotation rates is reported.

A study on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal, mechanical, NLO and laser damage properties on unidirectional Glycinium Picrate Mono Glycine crystal

By directional solidification, single crystal of Glycinium Picrate Mono Glycine (GPMG) was successfully grown by Sankaranarayanan-Ramasamy (SR) method. An optically transparent crystal of GPMG has been grown along 〈011〉 plane by a mixed solvent of acetone and double distilled water. The evaporation rate was controlled and a single crystal of 12mm diameter and 35mm length was obtained. Single crystal X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal, mechanical, SHG and laser damage studies were carried out. The results are discussed in detail.

Effect of Mg doping on the growth aspects, crystalline perfection, and optical and thermal properties of congruent LiNbO3single crystals

Mg-doped congruent lithium niobate single crystals were grown by the Czochralski technique. High-quality single crystals were grown using a novel seeding technique in a resistive heating furnace. Analysis of crystalline perfection carried out by a multi-crystal X-ray diffractometer revealed that the grown crystals do not contain any structural grain boundaries but do contain point defects. The transmission characteristics showed an enhancement of band gap with an increase in Mg concentration. Conoscopy patterns revealed that the grown crystals are homogeneous and the incorporation of Mg into the lattice does not affect the optical sign (negative uniaxial) of the crystal. The refractive index measurements carried out using a prism coupler showed an increase in the optical birefringence (Δn), while the refractive index was found to decrease with the increase in doping concentration. Further, thermal conductivity was found to decrease with Mg incorporation in the lattice owing to phonon scattering from the Mg ions and, as a consequence, at high concentrations (>4 mol%) crack formation occurred. However, optimization of growth conditions reveals that a slower pulling rate leads to crack-free lithium niobate crystals even at 6 mol% Mg doping.

Structural, optical and thermal properties of Zr–Fe co-doped congruent LiNbO3single crystals

Zr–Fe-doped congruent lithium niobate single crystals were grown by the Czochralski technique. The crystal structure and lattice parameter of the grown crystals were assessed by powder X-ray diffraction and the strain developed as a result of doping has been calculated (−1.19 × 10−3) by using the Williamson–Hall relation. The incorporated dopant concentration along with the dopant distribution in the specimen crystal was estimated by X-ray florescence spectrometry. A multi-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out to identify the crystalline perfection of the sample and revealed that the investigated crystal does not contain any structural grain boundaries but does contain point defects and micrometre size mosaic blocks. Birefringence measurements were carried out using a prism coupler spectrometer and found that the optical birefringence is 0.0822 for 532 nm and 0.705 for 1064 nm. A thermal conductivity (κ) study reveals that the doped sample has a lower κ value than the undoped equivalent.

Growth and spectral characterization of ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) doped zinc sulphate hepta hydrate - a semi organic NLO material

Semi-organic non-linear optical single crystals of ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) doped zinc sulphate hepta hydrate crystals were grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique, at room temperature, using de-ionized water as solvent. The modes of vibrations of different molecular groups present in the grown crystal were identified by FT-IR technique. The optical absorbance/transmittance was recorded in the wavelength range of 190-1100 nm. Thermal properties of the grown crystal were studied by thermo gravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis. The melting point of the grown crystal was estimated by differential scanning calorimetric analysis. The inclusion of the dopant (EDTA) was confirmed by colorimetric estimation method. The second harmonic generation efficiency is about 30% of potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate.

Studies on growth, structural, dielectric, laser damage threshold, linear and nonlinear optical properties of methylene blue admixtured l-arginine phosphate single crystal

L-Arginine phosphate (LAP) and methylene blue dye admixtured L-arginine phosphate single crystals were grown by slow cooling technique and their cell parameters, crystalline perfection, dopant inclusion were confirmed by single crystal, powder X-ray diffraction and high resolution X-ray diffraction analyses respectively. The modes of vibrations of different functional groups present in pure and dye admixtured LAP crystals have been identified by FTIR spectral analysis. The UV-Vis-NIR spectral study was performed on the grown crystals and found that the crystals are transparent in the entire visible-NIR region. The dielectric measurement was carried out on the grown crystals as a function of frequency at room temperature. The microhardness hardness study on (100) plane of grown crystals reveals the mechanical behavior of the crystals. The laser damage threshold value significantly enhanced for dye admixtured crystal in comparison with pure LAP crystal. The relative SHG efficiency of methylane blue admixtured LAP crystal was found to be 1.3 times higher than that of pure LAP crystal.

Investigations on growth and crystalline perfection of an organic Schiff base material: 4-chloro-4'bromobenzylidene aniline

Single crystal of an organic material, 4-chloro-4'bromobenzylidene aniline (CBBA), was synthesized and grown by slow evaporation method at room temperature. (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra were recorded to elucidate the molecular structure and functional groups of CBBA were identified using FTIR and FT Raman spectral analyses. The lattice parameters were calculated from single crystal X-ray diffraction data. Single and reasonably sharp peak observed in the high resolution X-ray diffraction curve indicates that the quality of the crystal is good. Thermal properties of CBBA were carried out using thermogravimetric, differential thermal and differential scanning calorimetric analyses and the melting point of the CBBA material is ~123 °C. The dielectric properties of CBBA crystal was studied as the function of frequency (100 Hz-500 kHz). The optical properties were ascertained by recording UV-vis-NIR and fluorescence spectrum. Further the mechanical properties were studied using Vickers microhardness test.

Growth and characterization of 2-amino-4-picolinium toluene sulfonate single crystal

2-Amino-4-picolinium toluene sulfonate (2A4PTS), a new organic material, was synthesized and grown as single crystals in room temperature by slow evaporation solution growth technique using water as solvent. The crystal structure of 2A4PTS has been determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. 2A4PTS belongs to monoclinic crystal system. The molecular arrangements in the crystal were studied. The structural perfection of the grown crystals has been analysed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) rocking curve measurements. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral studies have been performed to identify the functional groups. The optical transmittance window and the lower cutoff wavelength of the 2A4PTS have been identified by UV-Vis-NIR studies. The nonlinear optical properties have been investigated by Z-scan method. The nonlinear refractive index and linear absorption coefficient of the 2A4PTS are found to be in the order of 10(-8) cm(2)/W and 10(-4) cm/W, respectively. The laser induced surface damage threshold for the grown crystal was measured using Nd:YAG laser. Thermal analysis carried out on the compound reveals that 2A4PTS is stable up to 133°C. The microhardness test was carried out and the load dependent hardness was measured.

Synthesis, growth, optical, mechanical, dielectric and thermal properties of 4-chloro-4'-chlorobenzylidene aniline single crystal

The organic material 4-chloro-4'-chlorobenzylidene aniline (CCBA) was synthesized and confirmed by NMR and FTIR spectral analyses. CCBA crystal was grown from chloroform by slow evaporation at room temperature and the single crystal cell parameters were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction method. The perfection of the grown crystal was analyzed by high resolution X-ray diffraction rocking curve analysis. Fluorescence spectrum indicated violet emission at 428 nm. The range of optical absorbance was ascertained by recording UV-vis-NIR spectrum. Load dependant microhardness measurements on this crystal revealed the mechanical behavior of the material. Stiffness constant, Meyer index and yield strength of CCBA crystal were calculated. Dielectric studies were carried out to estimate the dielectric parameters of the grown crystal in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. The thermal behavior of CCBA was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and no phase transition was identified in the temperature region 30-100°C. Further, the CCBA crystal was subjected to open aperture Z-scan studies in order to investigate the third order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of CCBA crystal.

The effect of Cr3+doping on the crystalline perfection and optical properties of zinc tris(thiourea)sulfate, a nonlinear optical material

A study of the effect of Cr3+doping in zinc tris(thiourea)sulfate (ZTS, a well known nonlinear optical material) single crystals on crystalline perfection and optical properties was carried out. Pure and chromium-doped (1 and 2 mol%) ZTS single crystals were grown by the slow evaporation solution technique. The actual concentration of chromium incorporated into the crystal lattice was found to be different, as evaluated by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) analysis revealed that chromium doping led to the creation of vacancies in the grown single crystals. The photoluminescence emission spectra of pure and doped crystals supported the HRXRD findings. The optical band gap of the single crystals increased as a result of the Cr3+doping, but their transparency in the visible region decreased. The doped crystals exhibited higher linear refractive indices than the pure crystals. The optical dielectric constant (∊), the extinction coefficient (k), the average single-oscillator energy for electronic transitions (Eo) and the oscillator strength (Ed) were evaluated for ZTS single crystals and significant changes were observed in these parameters due to the Cr3+doping.

Study of the influence of dopants on the crystalline perfection of ferroelectric glycine phosphite single crystals using high-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis

Good quality and optically transparent single crystals of pure and doped glycine phosphite (GPI) were grown by both solvent-evaporation and temperature-cooling techniques. Dopants were chosen in different categories, namely transition metals (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Cd), rare-earth metals (Ce, Nd, La), dyes (rhodamine B, malachite green, fluorescein) and an amino acid (L-proline). The concentration of dopants was chosen depending on the category of dopants and the quality of crystallization during the growth process. The crystalline perfection of the as-grown pure and doped GPI crystals was investigated by high-resolution X-ray diffraction at room temperature. A multicrystal X-ray diffractometer employing a well collimated and highly monochromated Mo Kα1beam and set in the (+, −, −, +) configuration was employed. Most of the crystal specimens show excellent crystalline perfection. However, grain boundaries, low-angle tilt boundaries, and vacancy and interstitial point defects were observed in some crystal specimens.

Synthesis, growth, crystal structure and characterization of a new organic material: glycine glutaric acid

Glycine glutaric acid, a new organic compound has been synthesized and good quality single crystals were grown by slow evaporation technique. The structure of the grown crystal was elucidated by using single crystal XRD. The presence of the functional groups was confirmed by using FT-IR spectroscopy. The optical transparency was studied by using UV-vis spectrophotometer and it was found that the crystal is having high optical transparency. The thermal stability of the crystal was studied by using thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analyses and found that it is stable up to 150°C. The room temperature dielectric studies were also carried out over the wide frequency range: 10 mHz to 10 MHz.

Interesting growth features in potassium dihydrogen phosphate: unravelling the origin and dynamics of point defects in single crystals

In a potassium dihydrogen phosphate single crystal grown by the temperature-lowering technique, some interesting growth features revealing the origin of point defects, their agglomeration and dynamics were observed. High-resolution X-ray diffractometry was employed for in-depth studies of the observed defects. Since the crucial properties of crystal-based devices are very much influenced by such defects, this is an important experimental finding with respect to improving growth techniques or conditions to avoid such defects.

Growth, structural, spectral, mechanical and optical properties of pure and metal ions doped sulphamic acid single crystals

Bulk single crystals of pure and metal ions (Mn(2+), Cu(2+) and Ni(2+)) doped sulphamic acid (SA) have been grown by conventional and unidirectional solution growth methods. Intensities of powder X-ray diffraction peaks of metal ions doped SA reveal that these dopants enhanced the crystallanity. The peak broadening and intensity variation in some frequency regions in FT-IR spectra show the incorporation of dopants in the SA lattice. Mn(2+) and Cu(2+) doped SA single crystals show high crystalline perfection (FWHM 5.5arcs) compared to pure and Ni(2+) metal ions doped SA crystals. The grown pure and Mn(2+), Cu(2+) and Ni(2+) ions doped SA crystals have transparency in the order SA>Mn:SA>Cu:SA>Ni:SA. The hardness value of Ni(2+) doped crystal is relatively less than that of the pure and other metal ions doped SA crystals. Pure and Ni(2+) ions doped SA crystals possess high dielectric constants than that of Cu(2+) and Mn(2+) ions doped crystals. From the SEM micrograph analyses, it is observed that the doping of these metal ions modify the surface morphology of the grown crystals.

Enhancement of SHG efficiency by urea doping in ZTS single crystals and its correlation with crystalline perfection as revealed by Kurtz powder and high-resolution X-ray diffraction methods

The enhancement of second-harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency by urea doping in tristhioureazinc(II) sulfate (ZTS) single crystals and its correlation with crystalline perfection have been investigated. ZTS is a potential semiorganic nonlinear optical material. Pure and urea-doped single crystals of ZTS have been successfully grown by the slow evaporation solution technique. The presence of dopant has been confirmed and analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The influence of urea doping at different concentrations on crystalline perfection has been thoroughly assessed by high-resolution X-ray diffractometry (HRXRD). HRXRD studies revealed that the ZTS crystals could accommodate urea up to a critical concentration without any deterioration in crystalline perfection. Above this concentration, very low angle structural grain boundaries developed and it seems the excess urea above the critical concentration was segregated along the grain boundaries. At very high doping concentrations, the crystals were found to contain mosaic blocks. The SHG efficiency has been studied using the Kurtz powder technique. The relative SHG efficiency of the crystals was found to increase substantially with the increase in urea concentration. The correlation found between crystalline perfection and SHG efficiency is discussed.

Synthesis, growth, spectral, thermal, mechanical and optical properties of 4-chloro-4'dimethylamino-benzylidene aniline crystal: a third order nonlinear optical material

An organic nonlinear optical material, 4-chloro-4'dimethylamino-benzylidene aniline (CDMABA), was synthesized by the condensation of the p-chloroaniline and p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. Solubility of CDMABA was determined in acetone at different temperatures. Single crystals were grown by the solvent evaporation method from acetone solution at room temperature. Grown crystal was subjected to FTIR, FT-Raman and (1)H NMR spectral analyses to confirm the synthesized compound. The range and percentage of optical transmission was ascertained by recording UV-vis-NIR spectrum. Thermal properties were investigated by Thermo Gravimetric, Differential Thermal and Differential Scanning Calorimetric analyses. High Resolution X-ray Diffractometry (HRXRD) was employed to evaluate the perfection of the grown crystal. The third order nonlinear optical parameters (nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient) were derived by the Z-scan technique.

Growth and characterization of organic non-linear optical crystal 4-hydoroxy benzaldehyde-N-methyl 4-stilbazolium tosylate (HBST)

The 4-hydroxy benzaldehyde-N-methyl 4-stilbazolium tosylate (HBST), a good non-linear optical (NLO) crystal has been synthesized and the single crystal has been grown by slow evaporation method. In this work we have used ethyl acetate mixed methanol (1:1 ratio) as solvent. The lattice parameters were calculated from the powder X-ray diffraction patterns and compared with previous reports. The crystalline perfection has been verified with multicrystal X-ray diffractometer. The functional groups were identified from FTIR and NMR spectral studies. In order to know the optical quality of the grown crystal, the UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectrum was recorded and optical transition energy levels were also calculated. The thermal properties were analyzed from TG/DTA data. The relative SHG efficiency was compared with urea by Kurtz powder method.