Comparative analysis on microhardness and third order nonlinear optical traits of pure and Nd 3+ doped zinc tris-thiourea sulphate (ZTS) crystal

Abstract

Present investigation is aimed to explore the single crystal growth, microhardness and third order nonlinear optical (TONLO) properties of Nd 3+ doped zinc tris-thiourea sulphate (ZTS) crystal. The commercial slow solvent evaporation technique has been chosen to grow a good quality ZTS (12 mm × 0.5 mm × 0.3 mm) and Nd 3+ doped ZTS (11 mm × 0.6 mm × 0.4 mm) single crystals. Vickers microhardness test has been employed to analyze the influence of Nd 3 + dopant on the hardness behavior of ZTS single crystal. The TONLO effects occurring in Nd 3+ doped ZTS single crystal have been evaluated by means of Z-scan technique using a He-Ne laser operating at 632.8 nm. The close and open aperture Z-scan configuration have been used to determine the nature of TONLO refraction n 2 and absorption β, respectively. The magnitudes of vital TONLO parameters, such as refraction n 2 , absorption coefficient β, figure of merit and susceptibility χ 3 of the Nd 3 + doped ZTS single crystal, have been determined using Z-scan transmittance data. The n 2 , β, and χ 3 of Nd 3+ doped ZTS single crystal were found to be of the order of 10 −10 cm 2 /W, 10 −6 cm/W and 10 −5 esu, respectively.