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Abstract Deep‐ultraviolet nonlinear optical (DUV NLO) crystals are the key materials to extend the output range of solid‐state lasers to below 200 nm. The only practical material KBe 2 BO 3 F 2 suffers high toxicity through beryllium and strong layered growth. Herein, we propose a beryllium‐free material design and synthesis strategy for DUV NLO materials. Introducing the (BO 3 F) 4− , (BO 2 F 2 ) 3− , and (BOF 3 ) 2− groups in borates could break through the fixed 3D B–O network that would produce a larger birefringence without layering and simultaneously keep a short cutoff edge down to DUV. The theoretical and experimental studies on a series of fluorooxoborates confirm this strategy. Li 2 B 6 O 9 F 2 is identified as a DUV NLO material with a large second harmonic generation efficiency (0.9×KDP) and a large predicted birefringence (0.07) without layering. This study provides a feasible way to break down the DUV wall for NLO materials.
Zhang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.