Growth, structure, and spectroscopic properties of 5 at.% Yb:GdNbO4 laser crystal

•A new 5 at.% Yb:GdNbO4 crystal is grown by Czochralski method for the first time.•The absorption band at 955 nm is the strongest, of which the FWHM is up to 57 nm.•A maximal output power of 270 mW is obtained and the slope efficiency is 7.5%.

A new crystal of Yb-doped gadolinium niobate, 5 at.% Yb:GdNbO4, is grown by Czochralski method for the first time. The structure of Yb:GdNbO4 is determined by Rietveld refinement to the X-ray powder diffraction data and it belongs to the monoclinic space group of I2/a. With the center of 955 nm, the FWHM of absorption spectra is 57 nm and the absorption cross section is calculated to be 0.97 × 10−20 cm2. Spectral parameters are calculated with absorption spectrum. In emission spectra, the strongest peak is at 1001 nm and the FWHM is 49 nm. In comparison with corresponding emission cross section of Yb:YSO and Yb:GSO, Yb:GdNbO4 exhibits a relatively larger emission cross section. In addition, a maximal output power of 270 mW is obtained and the slope efficiency is 7.5%.