< 0 0 1 > directed potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate (KDP) single crystal was grown by Sankaranarayanan-Ramasamy (SR) method. The < 0 0 1 > oriented seed crystals were mounted at the bottom of the platform and the size of the crystals were 10 mm diameter, 110 mm height. Two different growths were tried, in one the crystal diameter was the ampoule's inner diameter and in the other the crystal thickness was less than the ampoule diameter. In the first case only the top four pyramidal faces were existing whereas in the second case the top four pyramidal faces and four prismatic faces were existing through out the growth. The crystals were grown using same stoichiometric solution. The results of the two growths are discussed in this paper. The grown crystals were characterized by high-resolution X-ray diffractometry (HRXRD), laser damage threshold, dielectric, thermal analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy and microhardness studies. The HRXRD analysis indicates that the crystalline perfection is excellent without having any very low angle internal structural grain boundaries. Laser damage threshold value has been determined using Nd:glass laser operating at 1054 nm. The damage threshold for the KDP crystal is greater than 4.55 GW cm(-2). The dielectric constant was higher and the dielectric loss was less in SR method grown crystal as against conventional method grown crystal. In thermal analysis, the starting of decomposition nature is similar in SR method grown KDP crystal and conventional method grown crystal. The SR method grown KDP has higher transmittance and higher hardness value compared to conventional method grown crystals. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.