Absorption-edge calculations of inorganic nonlinear optical crystals

Abstract

A theoretical model suitable for calculating absorption edges of inorganic nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals is introduced. This model is proved to be useful to elucidate the relationship between electronic structures of NLO-active groups and macroscopic properties of absorption edges on the UV side of most of the inorganic nonlinear optical crystals. A systematic calculation of absorption edges on the UV side for several important inorganic NLO crystals is carried out by means of DV-SCM-Xα method and all calculated results are in good agreement with experimental data. These inorganic NLO crystals include LiB3O5(LBO), β-BaB2O4(BBO), KB5, KDP, Na2SbF5, Ba2TiSi2O8, iodate and NaNO2. The calculated energy level structures of LiB3O5 and β-BaB2O4 crystals are compared with the measured XPS spectra. The unusual transparent spectra of KB5 and KDP crystals are partly explained from the microstructure point of view. The effect of lone electron pair in iodate and NaNO2 crystals on their absorption edges are discussed. All these results show that Anionic Group Theory of Nonlinear Optical Crystals is useful to evaluate the absorption edges of the inorganic nonlinear optical crystal and is a powerful tool in a Molecular Engineering approach to search for new nonlinear optical materials.