Nucleation studies and characterization of potassium thiocyanate added KDP crystals grown by seed rotation technique

The effect of the addition of potassium thiocyanate on potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals, grown from aqueous solution by the temperature lowering method using a microcontroller based seed rotation technique has been studied. As part of nucleation studies, metastable zone width, induction period and crystal growth rate of additive added KDP are determined and analyzed with the pure system. Dielectric measurements were carried out on pure and doped crystals at various temperatures ranging from 313 to 423 K and compared. The crystalline perfection of the grown crystal was studied by the high resolution X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal grown from additive added solution was subjected to structural, optical transmission, second harmonic generation and hardness studies and the effect of additive on pure system is investigated. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.