Growth and spectral properties of a new nonlinear laser crystal of Nd3+:Ca9Y0.5La0.5(VO4)7

A Nd3+-doped Ca9Y0.5La0.5(VO4)7 crystal with dimensions of ø23 × 35 mm3 has been grown by the Czochralski method. The effective segregation coefficient of Nd3+ ion is measured as 1.3. Its relative efficiency of second harmonic generation has been measured by the Kurtz power method, the intensity is 1.5 times as large as that of KH2PO4 crystal. Its Vickers hardness of (1 0 0) and (0 0 1) faces are 408.31 and 451.72 N/mm2, respectively. The spectroscopic properties of Nd3+:Ca9Y0.5La0.5(VO4)7 crystal were investigated. The Judd–Ofelt theory was applied to calculate the spectral parameters. The absorption cross sections at 810 nm are 4.35 × 10−20 cm2 with full width half maximum (FWHM) of 12 nm for π-polarization, and 5.61 × 10−20 cm2 with FWHM of 11 nm for σ-polarization, respectively. The emission section is 5.02 × 10−20 cm2 for π-polarization and 7.45 × 10−20 cm2 for σ-polarization, respectively. The fluorescence lifetime is 147 μs. The results indicate that the Nd3+:Ca9Y0.5La0.5(VO4)7 crystal may be a promising candidate of self-frequency-doubling laser material.

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► A Nd3+:Ca9Y0.5La0.5(VO4)7 crystal was grown by the Czochralski method.
► The intensity of SHG of the Nd3+:Ca9Y0.5La0.5(VO4)7 crystal is 1.5 KDP.
► The spectroscopic properties of the crystal were investigated.
► The spectral parameters were calculated based on the Judd–Ofelt theory.
► The results show the crystal is a promising SFD laser material.