Growth and piezoelectric features of La2CaB10O19 crystals doped with Pr3+ ions

High quality La2CaB10O19 single crystals doped with Pr3+ ions were grown by means of the top seeded solution growth method. The concentration of Pr3+ ions in the starting melt was equal to 4 at%, which, due to small distribution coefficient, in consequence gave single crystals containing 2.5 at% of Pr3+ions. The piezoelectric coefficients were measured for the pure and Pr+3 doped crystals. The principal changes under influence of the nanosecond pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser were observed for the LCBO nanocrystallites incorporated into the polymer matrices. The introduction of the Pr3+ ions favors enhanced piezoelectric constants. In turn the nanocrystallites with enhanced piezoelectricity lead to the enhanced laser threshold damage.

► The incorporation of Pr3+ to LCBO crystals enhances piezoelectricity from 0.87 pm/V up to 1.42 pm/V.
► Additionally substantial increase of the laser threshold damage was observed.
► Correlation between laser threshold and piezoelectricity is found.