Vibrational properties of nonlinear optical Bi2ZnOB2O6 single crystals doped with Pr3+: μ-Raman investigations

Nonlinear optical Bi2ZnOB2O6 single crystals doped with Pr3+ ions were grown using the Kyropoulos method. The crystals are characterized by the large values of nonlinear optical coefficients as well as the effective luminescence of exciting Pr3+ ions, which makes them an excellent candidate for NIR to VIS laser converters. In this study the vibrational properties of Bi2ZnOB2O6 single crystals doped with Pr3+ ions were investigated for the first time with the use of μ-Raman spectroscopy. On the basis of Raman spectra, the modes symmetry was analyzed and the modes assignment was made to characteristic molecular groups BO3, BO4, ZnO4 and BiO6. The Raman scattering data showed that the NLO properties of Bi2ZnOB2O6:Pr3+ crystals correspond to the low frequency lattice modes associated with BO3 and BO4 groups as well as Bi3+and Zn2+ ions.