Growth and properties of UV nonlinear optical crystal ZnCd(SCN)(4)

A second-order nonlinear optical coordination crystal, zinc cadmium thiocya nate. ZnCd(SCN)(4) (ZCTC) was grown as a frequency doubler, emitting UV lig ht. A large typical single crystal with dimensions up to 15 x 7 x 7 mm(3) h as been obtained by slow solvent-evaporation method for the first time. The infrared (IR) spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) of single c rystals were performed at room temperature. The specific heat of the crysta l has been measured to be 367.9 J/mol.K at 300 K. The thermal expansion coe fficients. c- and a-oriented, have been measured to be - 1.69 x 10(-5) and 1.95 x 10(-4) K-1. respectively. The secund harmonic generation (SHG) effic iency of ZCTC crystal is 51.6 times as high as that of urea reference, and the measured transmittance spectra from 190 to 3200 nm showed that the UV t ransparency cutoff occurs at 290 nm and the transmission is 73.22% at 380 n m. UV laser light of wavelength 380 nm has been achieved by the frequency d oubling of a 760 nm laser diode at room temperature. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.