Growth and spectral properties of Nd:GdVO4 laser crystal

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Condensed matter, 2008-09, Vol.403 (18), p.3002-3008
• Main Authors: JING SU, ZHANG, Qing-Li, YIN, Shao-Tang, GUO, Chang-Xin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Laser materials; Optical materials; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optics; Other solid inorganic materials; Photoluminescence; Physics
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2008.03.002

In this paper, the Czochralski growth, absorption spectra, and photoluminescence spectra of Nd:GdVO4 crystals are studied. From its absorption spectra, Nd:GdVO4 is found to exhibit an anisotropic optical absorption effect, and its effective Judd-Ofelt parameters are calculated: Omega2=10.281X10-20 cm2, Omega4=5.426X10-20 cm2 and Omega6=9.943X10-20 cm2. By these parameters, the absorption oscillator strengths, emission oscillator strengths, transition probabilities, fluorescence branch ratios, energy lifetimes, and integrated emission cross-sections are also derived. The photoluminescence spectra of Nd:GdVO4 crystal consist of a wide emission band of host and the characteristic emission bands of Nd3+. Based on the excitation spectrum, both the two evident peaks locating at 345 and 371 nm are ascribed to the characteristic excitation of Nd3+, and an energy transfer from the host to its doping Nd3+ ions is indicated.