Optical Properties of Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate Under Applied Stress

Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) is best known for its non-linear optical properties. As such it has been incorporated into various laser systems in modulating the frequency of laser radiation. The external stresses in the manufacturing process can introduce changes in their optical properties. With the aid of density functional theory (DFT), here we investigate the changes in absorption coefficient and refractive index under applied stress. It was observed that the microstructural changes induced by the uniaxial stress along < 110 > direction brings about significant changes in these optical properties of KDP.