Synthesis of γ-Glycine-NLO active single crystals via assisted of lithium iodide and L-Proline template and determination of micro-structural and optical parameters

•The attempt to prepare the high efficient NLO γ-glycine single crystal by using Lithium iodide and L-Proline by slow evaporation technique.•The fewer quantities of Li ions with L-proline induce the higher nucleation kinetics growth.•The crystal structure, optical property and second harmonic response were studied.•The NLO efficiency of γ-glycine was higher than KDP by slow technique method. The crystallization of glycine using distinctive inorganic salts of lithium iodide (Li) and L-Proline (amino acids) template on solution-intermediate polymorphic conversion from metastable α-glycine to firm γ-glycine was studied. The presence of L-Proline with minimal content of Li salts expedites γ-glycine nucleation to a large degree in slow evaporation technique. The structural parameter of γ-glycine was confirmed by single crystal XRD and its microstructure was investigated via powder XRD. UV spectrum exhibits the high transparency at visible and near IR range and their optical constant values also analysed. The second harmonic generation measurements perceived owning NLO efficiency as 0.75 & 1.1 times that of KDP and hence it can be a potential material for the frequency doubling process.