A comprehensive investigation on core optoelectronic and laser properties of ZTS single crystals: an effect of Mg²⁺ doping

The synthesis and large-sized single crystals of pure and Mg²⁺-doped zinc (tris) thiourea sulfate has been developed using slow evaporation methods at 300 K. The size of the grown crystal for pure, 2% Mg and 5% Mg-doped ZTS is found to be ~ 15 mm × 17 mm, ~ 20 mm × 18 mm, and 22 mm × 10 mm, respectively. The crystal structural and vibrational modes are identified by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and FT-Raman analyses. The grown crystal with 5% Mg doping possesses higher optical transparency (67%). Optical energy band gap is found ~ 4.36 eV for 2% Mg and ~ 4.41 eV for 5% Mg-doped crystals. Enhancement in PL intensity of UV band was observed due to doping. The third-order nonlinear susceptibility, χ³ is found to be enhanced due to doping which is in the order of 10⁻³ esu. DSC study confirms that the 5% MgZTS crystals possess higher thermal stability than pure as well as 2% MgZTS. Furthermore, the dielectric study confirms that the grown crystals possess low defects. The microhardness is also found to be enhanced due to doping. All the properties of ZTS are found to be enhanced by Mg doping and make it more suitable for optoelectronic and nonlinear applications compared to pure.