Research on crystal growth and properties of a new nonlinear optical crystal: Bismuth borate BiB3O6

BiB3O6 (BIBO) single crystals with sizes of 44 mm x 24 mm x 10 mm and weigh t of 24.7 g have been successfully grown by the top-seeded method. In this note, the preparation of seed, the growth of crystal and some problems enco untered are reported. The lattice parameters of BIBO are a =7.1203(7)Angstr om, b = 4.9948(7)Angstrom, c = 6.5077(7)Angstrom, beta = 105.586(8) ", V=22 2.93(5)Angstrom (3), which were determined by BRUKER-P4 four-circle diffrac tometer. BEBO is biaxial crystal and the relative orientation of (X, Y, Z) with regard to (a, b, c) is: X // b, (Y, c) =47.2 degrees, (Z, a) = 31.6 de grees, determined by the X-ray analysis combined with polarized microscopy. The second-harmonic-generation (SHG) conversion efficiency of the sample f or 1.064 mum light is up to 67.7%. We have also obtained the third harmonic generation (THG) of 1.064 mum, namely, 1.064 mum + 0.532 mum --> 0.355 mum . BIBO crystal is free of moisture and hygroscopy.