Interplay between random laser performance and self-frequency conversions in NdxY1.00−xAl3(BO3)4 nanocrystals powders

•Synthesis of neodymium doped nanoparticles for random lasers.•Observation of random laser emission in the powders for Nd3+ concentration ranging from 0.05 to 1.00%.•Observation of self-second-harmonic and self-sum-frequency generations, and second-harmonic of the excitation beam.•Multi-wavelength emission based on a unique material.•Enhancement of the random laser performance and decrease of the second-order nonlinear response for large Nd3+ concentration.

Random Laser emission at 1.06 μm, self-second-harmonic generation at 0.53 μm and self-sum-frequency generation at 0.46 μm were investigated in NdxY1.00−xAl3(BO3)4 nanocrystalline powders, for 0.05 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.00, excited by a pulsed laser operating at 808 nm, focusing on the interplay between the RL performance and the second-order nonlinear processes. The RL performance, characterized by a figure-of-merit relating the laser slope efficiency and the excitation pulse energy threshold, improved as x increased up to 1.00 while the efficiency of the self-frequency conversion processes reduced for increasing x because of distortions introduced in the crystalline structure of the grains. The RL wavelength was also dependent on the Nd3+ concentration and presented a redshift from 1061.9 nm to 1063.5 nm for increasing values of x.