Structure and Characterization of K₂Na₃B₂P₃O₁₃, a New Nonlinear Optical Borophosphate with One-Dimensional Chain...

Nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals, being the primary medium for laser wavelength conversion, are crucial in all-solid-state lasers. Borophosphates offer more structural varieties than pure borates and phosphates, and they have become popular as NLO crystal candidates. Through spontaneous crystallization, we acquired a noncentrosymmetric alkali metal borophosphate crystal material, K₂Na₃B₂P₃O₁₃ (KNBPO). KNBPO crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmc2₁ space group with the following unit cell parameters: a = 13.9238(18) Å, b = 6.7673(8) Å, c = 12.1298(15) Å, and Z = 4, and its structure is characterized by a fundamental building unit 1_∞ [B₂P₃O₁₃] chain structure made up of bridging oxygen linkages between BO₄ and PO₄ tetrahedra. KNBPO has a short ultraviolet (UV) cut-off edge (<186 nm), a congruent melting characteristic, good thermal stability, and a moderate second harmonic generation response roughly 0.42 times that of KH₂PO₄. Theoretical calculations reveal that the optical properties of the compound mainly originate from BO₄ and PO₄ units. Due to the short UV cut-off edge, KNBPO can be used as a potential NLO material in the UV and even deep UV regions, and it enhances the structural variety of borophosphates, which has a reference value for scholars investigating similar materials.