Semi-organic crystals for nonlinear optical devices

摘要

A nonlinear optical material includes a noncentrosymmetric crystal of an anionic boron complex salt containing a cation and at least one organic ligand coordinated to a boron atom. The nonlinear optical crystal may consist of a compound having the formula AÄBC2Ü where A is a monocation, B is boron, and C is the organic ligand, or a compound having the formula AÄBC2Ü2 where A is a dication, B is boron, and C is the organic ligand. The organic ligands may also be organic molecules having alpha -dihydroxy functionalities. Furthermore, the organic ligands may be selected from the group consisting of alpha -hydroxy carboxylic acids and 1, 2 - diols or from the group consisting of @ -malic acid, @ -lactic acid, @ -tartaric acid, dimethyl- @ -tartrate, diethyl- @ -tartrate, l -malic acid, l -lactic acid, l -tartaric acid, dimethyl- l -tartrate, diethyl- l -tartrate, and ethylene glycol. The anionic boron complex may be selected from the group consisting of boro-di( l -malate), boro-di( l -tartrate), boro-di( l -lactate), boro-di(diethyl- l -tartrate), boro-di(dimethyl-l-tartrate), boro-di( @ -malate), boro-di( @ -tartrate), boro-di( @ -lactate), boro-di(diethyl- @ -tartrate), boro-di(dimethyl-d-tartrate) and boro-di(ethylene glycolate). The cation may be selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, ammonium ions, and Group 2B dications. The cation may be further selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, the ammonium NH4<+> ion, the guanidinium C(NH2)3<+> ion, calcium, and zinc.