Growth and Characterization of Nonlinear Optics (NLO) Active L-Phenylalanine Fumaric Acid (LPFA) Single Crystal

Organic nonlinear optical crystals of L-phenylalanine fumaric acid [C9H11NO2. C4H4O4] (LPFA), belonging to the amino acid group, has been successfully grown by slow evaporation technique using water as solvent. Transparent crystals up to 7.0 x 7.5 x 1.0mm(3) were obtained. The lattice parameters of the grown crystal have been determined by X-ray diffraction studies. Vibrational spectra were recorded to determine the symmetries of molecular vibrations. LPFA crystal was analyzed by differential thermal and thermogravimetric analyses (DTA-TG) to obtain its thermal stability. Optical absorption study confirms the suitability of the crystal for device applications. The existence of second harmonic generation signals was observed using Nd:YAG laser with fundamental wavelength of 1,064 nm.