Growth of high quality and large-sized Nd 3+:YVO 4 single crystal

Abstract

This paper reports the growth of Nd 3+:YVO 4 crystal with high optical quality and large size. Nd 3+:YVO 4 crystal with the dimension 40×26×46 mm 3and optical homogeneity 4×10 −6 was grown by Czhchoralski method using a seed with [1 0 0] orientation at a pulling rate of 1.5–2.0 mm/h and a rotating rate of 6–12 rpm. The relationship between the growing habit and characteristics and the structural characterization of YVO 4 crystal was discussed. The lasing property of 0.5 at% Nd-doped YVO 4 crystal was tested. The output power was 15.0 W at 1.061 μm, pumped by high power diode laser with central wavelength 809 nm and 27.4 W pumping power. The laser energy threshold was 2.0 W. The light–light conversion efficiency is 54.8% and the slope efficiency is 59%.