Deep-Ultraviolet Mixed-Alkali-Metal Borates with Induced Enlarged Birefringence Derived from the Structure Rearrangement of the LiB3O5

By introduction of K+, Rb+, and Cs+ cations into the classical commercial nonlinear optical crystal LiB3O5 (LBO), the series of novel mixed-alkali-metal borates Li2.6K0.4[B5O8(OH)(2)] (K-LBO), Li2.85Rb0.15[B5O8(OH)(2)] (Rb-LBO), and Li2.9Cs0.1[B5O8(OH)(2)] (Cs-LBO) have been obtained under hydrothermal conditions. The steric hindrance effect generated by the introduction of large alkali-metal cations and partial substitution of small Li+ cations broke the three-dimensional (3-D) framework of [B3O7](5-) borate-oxygen clusters in LBO and resulted in a - structure rearrangement to produce infrequent [B10O26](22-) 2-D layers. The unique layered structure induced an increase in birefringence in A-LBOs (A = K, Rb, Cs), which is favorable for phase matching during second-harmonic generation. All three compounds are potential deep-ultraviolet nonlinear optical materials, which was proved by UV-vis-NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and second-harmonic-generation measurements.