Host dependence of the optical properties of Nd 3+ ions in zircon-type crystals YMO 4 ( M = V, P, As)

Abstract

The optical properties of good optical quality Nd:YMO 4 ( M = V, P, As) single crystals, grown by the flux method were studied with particular attention to the broadening of the absorption transition around 810 nm, where these materials are usually diode-pumped for laser applications. A similar broadening is measured in the three zircon-type hosts and this could be explained by a thermal population of the 4I 9 2 sublevels at room temperature. Low-temperature X-band ESR measurements of Nd 3+ in the YMO 4 family show a strong dependence of the main-site g values upon the type of [MO 4] tetrahedra.