Impact of cerium doping on the growth, structural, optical, thermal, and dielectric properties of l-tartaric acid single crystals for advanced photonic device applications

Abstract

This study synthesized high-quality single crystals of l-tartaric acid (LTA) and cerium (Ce)-doped LTA using the slow evaporation method at room temperature. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) confirmed their monoclinic structure (space group P2₁), with crystal sizes of 57 nm for LTA and 49 and 48 nm for Ce-doped LTA, calculated using Scherrer’s equation. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis validated elemental composition, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy identified functional groups. Optical transmittance spectra revealed broad transparency, allowing calculation of band gaps (5.06 eV for LTA and 4.85, 4.98 eV for 0.2 M%, 1 M% of Ce-doped LTA crystals), suitable for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicated high crystalline quality for grown crystals. Dielectric properties were measured over a wide frequency range (50 Hz to 5 MHz) and varying temperatures. Thermal stability was assessed via TG–DTA analysis. The optical and dielectric properties confirmed the multifunctional nature of the crystals. Both LTA and Ce-doped LTA crystals exhibited superior laser damage thresholds (LDT) and higher second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiencies compared to potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP). Third-order NLO susceptibility, measured using the Z-scan technique, further demonstrated their potential. In conclusion, LTA and Ce-doped LTA crystals exhibit excellent properties for advanced NLO and electro-optic devices, offering significant potential for a range of photonic applications.