A comparative study of crystal growth and laser properties of Nd:YVO4, Nd:GdVO4 and Nd:Gd La1−VO4 (x=0.80, 0.60, 0.45) crystals

The crystal growth of vanadate crystals is realised. Nd:YVO 4 , Nd:GdVO 4 and Nd:Gd x La 1− x VO 4 ( x =0.80, 0.60, 0.45) are determined effective segregation coefficients and laser properties of these crystals. All the crystals have the zircon structure with the space group of I 4 1 /amd. We find the Nd:YVO 4 crystal is the easiest one to grow among these crystals, the laser and thermal properties of Nd:GdVO 4 are the best, and Nd:Gd x La 1− x VO 4 ( x =0.80, 0.60, 0.45) crystals are the most difficult to be grown among the vanadate crystals. Under the pumping power of a 3 W laser diode, output powers of 1.27 W at 1.06 μm and 800 mW at 1.34 μm for the Nd:GdVO 4 crystal, 1.14 W at 1.06 μm and 780 mW at 1.34 μm for the Nd:YVO 4 crystal, and 1.18 W at 1.06 μm and 671 mW at 1.34 μm for the Nd:Gd 0.8 La 0.2 VO 4 crystal were obtained, and intracavity frequency-doubling to 532 and 670 nm was also demonstrated using KTiOPO 4 and LiB 3 O 5 crystals.