Crystal growth and characterization of Nd, Mg co-doped near-stoichiometric LiNbO 3

Abstract

Nd, Mg co-doped near-stoichiometric LiNbO 3 (Nd:Mg:SLN) crystals were grown from Li-rich solutions by a top-seeded solution-growth (TSSG) method. Doping of Mg 1 mol% was used to suppress photorefractive damage and the Nd nominal concentration added to the solution was either 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 0.9, or 1.8 mol%. From the analyzed Nd concentration in the Nd:Mg:SLN crystals and nominal Nd concentration in the solutions, the effective distribution coefficient k eff for Nd was calculated to be 0.12. The thermal conductivity of these crystals was found to be sensitive to non-stoichiometric defects (Nb anti-site defects)—the thermal conductivity of the Nd:Mg:SLN crystal was found to be about 1.3 times as large as that of the Nd, Mg co-doped congruent LiNbO 3 (Nd:Mg:CLN) crystal. From the viewpoint of laser materials, this increased thermal conductivity is advantageous even if other laser properties are almost the same. The optical absorption and emission spectra of Nd:Mg:SLN crystals were found to be almost the same as those of the Nd:Mg:CLN crystal.