Third order nonlinear optical constants of L-alaninium oxalate

Abstract

A charge transfer complex crystal L-alaninium oxalate (LAO) is grown by slow evaporation at ambient temperature using an equimolar solution of L-alanine and oxalic acid as precursors. The third order nonlinear optical constants of the thin cleaved LAO crystal is measured by a single beam Z scan technique with and without an aperture in the far field. The crystal shows reverse saturable absorption and negative nonlinear refraction under our experimental conditions. Nonlinear optical constants are calculated from the experimental data.