Investigation on the SR method growth, etching, birefringence, laser damage threshold and thermal characterization of strontium bis (hydrogen l-malate) hexahydrate single crystal

•Good quality single crystals of SrLM were successfully grown by the unidirectional solution growth (SR) method by optimizing the growth conditions.•Etch pit density is less in SR grown SrLM crystal when compared to conventional method grown crystal.•The birefringence interferogram shows good refractive index homogeneity of the 〈0 1 0〉 oriented SR method grown crystal.•The laser damage threshold value was higher in SR method grown SrLM crystal as against conventional method grown crystal.•The results from various characterization studies such as Chemical etching and birefringence studies and laser damage threshold for SR method grown SRLM sample can be attributed due to the high crystalline perfection when compared with that of slow cooling technique grown samples.

Optically good quality, semi-organic bulk single crystal of strontium bis (hydrogen l-malate) hexahydrate (SrLM) was successfully grown by Sankaranarayanan–Ramasamy (SR) method. Transparent 〈0 1 0〉 oriented unidirectional bulk single crystals of diameters 10 and 20 mm and length maximum up to 70 mm were grown over the growth period of 34 days with growth rate of 1 mm/day by the SR method. The grown crystals were subjected to various characterization studies such as chemical etching, UV–vis NIR spectrum, birefringence, laser damage threshold and thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The quality was also ascertained by birefringence studies.