Structural, thermal and optical characterization of a Schiff base as a new organic material for nonlinear optical crystals and films with reversible noncentrosymmetry.

Macroscopic single crystals of (E)-5-(diethylamino)-2-((3,5-dinitrophenylimino)methyl)phenol (DNP) were obtained from slow cooling of chloroform or dichlorometane saturated solutions at controlled temperature. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that this compound crystallizes in a noncentrosymmetric space group (P2(1)2(1)2(1)). Thermal analysis was performed and indicated that the crystals are stable until 260 °C. Second-order nonlinear optical properties of DNP were experimentally investigated in solution through EFISH technique and in solid state through the Kurtz-Perry powder technique. Crystals of compound DNP exhibited a second-harmonic signals 39 times larger than of the technologically useful potassium dihydrogenphosphate (KDP) under excitation at infrared wavelengths. In addition, the second-order nonlinear optical properties of DNP were also studied at visible wavelengths through the photorefractive effect and applied to demonstrate dynamic holographic reconstruction.