Growth, structure and spectroscopic properties of 1Â at.% Er3+: GdTaO4 laser crystal

1 at% Er3+ doped Er: GdTaO4 laser crystal with high optical quality was successfully grown by the Czochralski method. The structural parameters were obtained by the X-ray Rietveld refinement. A high crystalline quality of Er: GdTaO4 was determined by the X-ray rocking curve. The transition intensity parameters of Er3+ ions were fitted according to the absorption spectra along three principal polarization directions. The relatively larger emission cross section (1.022×10−20 cm2), long fluorescence lifetime ( 5.66 ms) and relatively weaker reabsorption phenomenon around 1.6 µm indicate that 1 at% Er: GdTaO4 crystal can be used as a promising NIR laser material. Meanwhile, the stimulated emission cross-section spectra along three principal polarization directions were investigated for 4I13/2 →4I15/2 transitions at 1.5-1.6 µm which indicates a great potential of Er: GdTaO4 for multi-wavelength emission at 1.5-1.6 µm. In addition, the possibility of generating green and red lasers in Er: GdTaO4 was also analyzed and evaluated.