Growth, thermal and spectral properties of Nd3+:Ba3Gd2(BO3)4 single crystal

• Nd3+:Ba3Gd2(BO3)4 single crystals have been grown by the Czochralski method.
• Thermal properties were systematically researched as a function of temperature.
• The polarized absorption and fluorescence spectra were detailed investigated.
• Nd3+:Ba3Gd2(BO3)4 crystal could be a promising crystal for use in solid state laser.

Nd3+:Ba3Gd2(BO3)4 single crystal of sized ∅20 mm × 20 mm was grown by the Czochralski technique. The effective segregation coefficient of Nd3+ in Ba3Gd2(BO3)4 crystals was measured to be 1.147. A series of thermal properties, including specific heat, the average linear thermal expansion coefficient, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity, were systematically determined as a function of temperature. The thermal conductivity along a, b and c-axes increases with increasing temperature. The room temperature polarized absorption spectrum was obtained over the range of 330–1000 nm, together with the room temperature fluorescence spectrum. The spectral parameters of the crystal were calculated by using the Judd–Ofelt (J–O) theory. The fluorescence lifetime is 80.58 μs and the fluorescence quantum efficiency is ηc = 43.8%. A large FWHM value, moderate absorption cross-section and high thermal conductivity show that Nd3+:Ba3Gd2(BO3)4 crystal holds promise as a useful solid state laser material.