Characterization and properties of a nonlinear optical crystal in IR region: RbCdI3·H2O

Abstract The nonlinear optical property of RbCdI3 · H2O (rubidium cadmium iodide monohydrate, RCIM) has been identified. The optical second harmonic generation effect has been measured by using the Kurtz powder technique to be 3.6 times as large as that of KDP (KH2PO4). The infrared spectrum indicates RCIM is transparent in most of the infrared region. The calculation shows the band gap of the crystal is 4.1 eV, which is larger than that of LiNbO3. Single crystals sized up to 20×4×2 mm3 have been grown in the aqueous solution by a slow evaporation technique.