Growth and spectral properties of Yb3+-doped NaY(MoO4)2 crystal

Yb3+-doped NaY(MoO4)2 with dimension of ∅22 × 35 mm2 has been grown by Czochralski method. Absorption and emission spectra of the crystal were investigated. The absorption band at 976 nm has a FWHM of 41 nm for π-polarization and 56 nm for σ-polarization, and the absorption cross-section σab is 3.32 × 10−20 cm2 for π-polarization and 2.49 × 10−20 cm2 for σ-polarization at 976 nm. The emission cross-sections σem are estimated from the fluorescence spectrum using the Füchtbauer-Ladenburg formula, which is 2.32 × 10−20 cm2 at 1016 nm for π-polarization and 2.02 × 10−20 cm2 at 1015 nm for σ-polarization room temperature. The fluorescence lifetime τf is 535 μs and the radiative lifetime τr is 276 μs. The laser parameters βmin, Isat and Imin have been calculated.