Single crystals of L-histidine tetrafluoroborate (L-HFB), a semiorganic non
linear optical (NLO) material have been successfully grown by the temperatu
re lowering and evaporation methods in our laboratory. Solubility curves of
L-HFB have been determined in different solvents, such as water, ethanol a
nd acetone. The solubility of L-HFB is very low in acetone and ethanol, the
refore, it is not feasible to grow L-HFB single crystals using these solven
ts. Good quality single crystals of a novel nonlinear optical material L-HF
B have been grown from aqueous solution. Effects of seed orientation on mor
phologies of L-HFB crystals were studied. The advantages and disadvantages
of both the evaporation and the temperature lowering techniques are compare
d. The single crystals in size 20 x 20 x 10 mm(3) were grown with the deion
ized water as solvent in two weeks with an approximate growth rate of 1.4 m
m/d. The transmission range for these crystals has been found to be from 25
0 to 1500 nm. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.Single cry
stals of L-histidine tetrafluoroborate (L-HFB), a semiorganic nonlinear opt
ical (NLO) material have been successfully grown by the temperature lowerin
g and evaporation methods in our laboratory. Solubility curves of L-HFB hav
e been determined in different solvents, such as water, ethanol and acetone
. The solubility of L-HFB is very low in acetone and ethanol, therefore, it
is not feasible to grow L-HFB single crystals using these solvents. Good q
uality single crystals of a novel nonlinear optical material L-HFB have bee
n grown from aqueous solution. Effects of seed orientation on morphologies
of L-HFB crystals were studied. The advantages and disadvantages of both th
e evaporation and the temperature lowering techniques are compared. The sin
gle crystals in size 20 x 20 x 10 mm(3) were grown with the deionized water
as solvent in two weeks with an approximate growth rate of 1.4 mm/d. The t
ransmission range for these crystals has been found to be from 250 to 1500
nm. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.