Growth, structural, thermal, optical, dielectric, mechanical and laser damage threshold studies of nicotinium tartrate single crystals

An organic nonlinear optical nicotinium tartrate (NT) single crystal was grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique. The cell parameters of NT crystal were confirmed by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction studies. The crystalline perfection of NT crystal was examined from HRXRD studies. The presence of functional groups was identified from FTIR spectral analysis. TGA and DSC studies revealed the thermal stability of NT crystal. UV–vis-NIR spectral studies showed that the NT crystal has wide transmission window in the entire visible region. The dielectric study on NT crystal established the normal dielectric behavior. The mechanical strength of NT crystal was studied by Vickers’ microhardness test. The laser damage threshold value of NT crystal was measured using Nd:YAG laser. The relative SHG efficiency of NT was measured to be 1.1 times that of KDP.