Growth, Crystal Structure and Characterization of a New Single Crystal: Lithium Sodium Acid Phthalate (LiNaP), for Third Order Nonlinear Optical Applications

A new alkali metallo-organic single crystal of Lithium Sodium Acid Phthlate (LiNaP) complex has been synthesized from aqueous solution in the equimolar ratio 3:1:2. Transparent and bulk single crystals of dimension 9 × 4 × 2 mm have been grown from the conventional slow-cooling technique. The crystal structure of the compound has been solved from single crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound 2[C8H4O3]LiNa crystallizes in triclinic system with a space group of Pī having cell dimensions a = 7.5451(2) Å; b = 9.8422(3) Å; c = 25.2209(7) Å; α = 80.299(2); β = 89.204(2); γ = 82.7770(10). FTIR measurement was carried out for LiNaP to study the vibrational structure of the compound. The various functional groups present in the molecule and the role of H-bonds in stabilizing the crystal structure of the compound have been explained. Optical absorption properties were studied for the grown crystal using UV-Vis-NIR spectrum. Thermal measurements were carried out for LiNaP to determine the thermal strength as well as to ascertain the hydrated nature of the crystal. Third order nonliner optical studies have also studied by Z-scan techniques. Nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refractive index were found out and the third order bulk susceptibility of compound was also estimated. The results of all studies have been discussed in detail.