Structural investigation, thermal, electrical and optical properties of NLO active single crystal for optoelectronic device applications

Benzimidazolium trichloroacetate monohydrate (BITCA) single crystals have been grown by solution growth technique. The crystal structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Benzimidazolium trichloroacetate monohydrate is crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system with space group P2₁2₁2₁. The FTIR and FT-Raman analyses have been used to investigate the various functional groups and their vibrational modes. The optical transparency and lower cut-off wavelength of the crystal have been determined by UV-vis spectrum. TG/DSC analyses revealed the thermal stability and decomposition of the crystal. Mechanical study confirmed the soft nature of crystal. The dielectric responses and electrical conductivity measurements have been carried out with different temperatures. The second and third-order NLO efficiency have been measured by Kurtz Perry powder and Z-Scan techniques.