Synthesis, growth, optical, thermal and nonlinear optical studies of dimethylammonium picrate single crystal

Dimethylammonium picrate (DMAP) was synthesized from dimethylformamide and picric acid as precursors and crystals were grown by the slow evaporation solution growth technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study revealed that DMAP crystallizes in orthorhombic system with space group Pca21. UV–Vis–NIR spectral study showed percentage of transmittance about 55% with a lower cut-off wavelength 475 nm. The relative second harmonic generation efficiency of grown crystal was found to be 3.1 times of KDP by Kurtz and Perry technique. From the TG–DT analyses, it is observed that the melting point is observed at 161.8 °C. The laser damage density of DMAP crystal was found to be 1.9 GW/cm2 for 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser radiation.