Synthesis and characterization of lanthanum chloride doped L-alanine maleate single crystals

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2019-09, Vol.522, p.1-4
• Main Authors: Fentaw, Dessale Alemu, Peter, M. Esthaku, Abza, Tizazu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Doping; A2. Growth from solutions; A2. Single crystal; Alanine; B2. Harmonic generators; B2. Non linear optics; Crystallization; KDP crystals; Lanthanum; Lanthanum chlorides; Optical materials; Optical properties; Optics; Second harmonic generation; Single crystals; Stability analysis; Thermal stability; X ray analysis
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2019.06.002

•LaCl3 doped L-alanine maleate crystals were synthesized by slow evaporation method.•The crystals were crystallized in orthorhombic crystal system.•1 mol% LaCl3 doped L-alanine maleate crystals has very high transmission.•Thermal analysis result confirmed the stability of samples below 145 °C temperature.•SHG efficiency increased with increasing LaCl3 concentration in the single crystal. Doping of non-linear optical materials by different elements and compounds is the common method to tune the various properties of these materials. In this work we report single crystals of undoped and lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) doped L-Alanine Maleate (LAM) grown by slow evaporation solution growth method at room temperature. From the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis it was observed that both undoped, 1 and 2 mol% LaCl3-doped LAM samples were crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system with P212121 space group. The optical properties of the LAM single crystals investigated by UV–VIS/NIR spectrometer revealed that the crystals were transparent in the wavelength range of 300–1100 nm. The band gap of the undoped and LaCl3 doped LAM single crystals were found to be 4.13 eV. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the incorporation of LaCl3 in LAM single crystals. Simultaneous TG/DT analysis revealed the thermal stability of the samples below 145 °C. The second harmonic generation efficiency of the samples was analyzed by Kurtz-Perry powder technique and compared with the standard KDP crystal.