Exceptional large nonlinear optical coefficients in the monoclinic bismuth borate BiB3O6 (BIBO)

Abstract The monoclinic BiB3O6 (abbreviation BIBO hereafter) (space group C2 [1] ) has been grown from stoichiometric melts in single crystals of dimensions up to 5×4×2 centimeters in optical quality. We have determined all independent nonlinear optical (nlo) coefficients of second harmonic generation dijkSHG for the fundamental λ0=1079.5 nm. The complete determination of a dijkSHG tensor in crystals of monoclinic or lower symmetry has not been published to our knowlegde yet. Linear optical investigations indicate a wide range of wavelengths for phase matchable processes. The highest deff we found along the phase matched direction of second harmonic generation at 1079.5 nm is 3.2 pm/V. This value is larger than that of many other substances, such as KTiOPO4 (KTP) or β−BaB2O4 (BBO), being widely used in applications.