Process for producing a single crystal of KTiOPO4 or its analogues.

摘要

A process is provided for the manufacture of single crystals of MTiOXO4, wherein M is K, Rb or TI and X is P or As, of optical quality and of sufficient size for use in nonlinear optical devices. In the process, starting ingredients chosen to be within the region of the ternary phase diagram in which the desired crystal MTiOX04 product is the only stable solid phase, are heated to produce MTiOX04 and then controllably cooled to crystallize the desired product. In a preferred method the ingredients are placed in a temperature gradient in which the hot zone ranges from about 800-1000°C and the cold zone about 10-135°C cooler, maintaining the temperature gradient for about 3 days to about 3 weeks, cooling, and recovering MTiOX04 crystals.