Electro-optical characterization of a 2-cyclo-octylamino-5-nitropyridine thin organic crystal film.

2-cyclo-octylamino-5-nitropyridine (COANP) single crystals were grown between transparent plates coated with indium tin oxide. The Pockels effect of the crystals was analyzed by an ac modulation method. The figure of merit of electro-optic phase retardation of the COANP crystals is estimated to be 4.2x10(-12) m/V . The crystals were protected by the plates, and the figure of merit of the phase retardation of the crystals did not decrease with time. We believe that the crystal-growth method described is applicable to other organic compounds whose crystal growth from a melt is feasible.