Spectral properties of Nd3+-doped Sr3Ga2Ge4O14 crystal

Neodymium doped strontium gallogermanate crystals were grown successfully by the Bridgman technique. The linear thermal expansion coefficients for the c- and a-axes were measured as 5.8 × 10−6 °C−1 and 6.5 × 10−6 °C−1. Absorption spectra, and fluorescence spectra, as well as fluorescence decay curves of Nd3+-doped Sr3Ga2Ge4O14 crystal, have been recorded at room temperature and used to calculate the absorption and stimulated emission cross-sections. Based on the Judd-Ofelt theory, three intensity parameters were obtained. The luminescent quantum efficiency of the 4F3/2 level was determined to be approximately 73.8% for this material. Compared with other Nd3+-doped laser crystals, Nd3+-doped Sr3Ga2Ge4O14 crystal displays special laser properties due to its disorder structure.