Potassium bromo-borate K3[B6O10]Br—A new nonlinear optical material

A new polar hexaborate, K{sub 3}[B{sub 6}O{sub 10}]Br (space group R3m), is synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. The radical anion is composed of macallisterite hexaborate blocks 6[3{delta} + 3T] formed by boron triangles and boron tetrahedra. The blocks are joined together through vertices into a [B{sub 6}O{sub 10}]{sub {infinity}}{sub {infinity}}{sub {infinity}}{sup 2-} zeolite-like framework of a new type. Large K{sup +} cations and Br{sup -} anions are located in extended channels that are aligned parallel to rhombohedral translations of the crystal lattice. The structure of the sublattice formed by large ions consists of BrK{sub 6} bromo-centered octahedra, which are linked together through vertices into a hexagonally distorted perovskite framework. The perovskite framework is inserted into the boron-oxygen framework so that these two frameworks do not intersect. The nonlinear optical properties of powdered samples of the K{sub 3}[B{sub 6}O{sub 10}]Br compound are investigated using the second harmonic generation method. It is found that the K{sub 3}[B{sub 6}O{sub 10}]Br compound exhibits a high nonlinear optical activity that exceeds the activities of the majority of borate compounds and is characteristic of haloid borates of the hilgardite family.