Second-order, third-order NLO and other properties of l-alanine crystals admixtured with perchloric acid (LAPA)

Nonlinear optical (NLO) single crystals of l-alanine admixtured with perchloric acid (LAPA) were grown for the first time by slow evaporation technique. The grown single crystals were subjected to different characterization analyses in order to find out its suitability for device fabrication for optoelectronic applications. Orthorhombic structure of LAPA crystal was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The LAPA crystallizes in non-centrosymmetric structure, which is an essential criterion for second-order NLO effects. The third-order nonlinearities of LAPA crystal have been investigated by the Z-scan method. The values of nonlinear refractive index (n2), the nonlinear absorption coefficient (β) and third-order nonlinear susceptibility (χ(3)) are estimated for the sample. The grown sample was characterized by Energy Dispersive Analysis by X-rays (EDAX) to confirm the presence of elements. The optical quality was assessed by recording UV – visible transmission spectrum. Thermal behavior and thermal stability of crystal were studied using thermogravimetric/differential thermal (TG/DTA) techniques. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss have been measured for different frequencies and at different temperatures. The mechanical properties of the grown crystals were studied using Vickers microhardness tester.