Optical properties of α-Nd3+: Na3Y(VO4)2 single crystals – Potential laser materials

Abstract

Single crystals of α-Nd3+: Na3Y(VO4)2 have been successfully grown by the flux growth method and their optical properties were investigated. The α-Na3Y(VO4)2 host crystal belongs to the monoclinic system with the space group P21/n (No. 14). Infrared and Raman spectra were recorded and the assignment of the stretching and bending vibrations of VO43- tetrahedra were performed. IR and R spectra were applied in order to assign the vibronic components of the electronic transitions of the Nd3+ ion. The absorption (4.2 and 300K) and fluorescence spectra (77 and 300K) as well as the fluorescence dynamics of the Nd3+-doped title crystals are presented and analyzed in detail. The 300K absorption spectra have been analyzed using the Judd–Ofelt approach. The Ωλ (λ=2, 4, 6) intensity parameters have been evaluated and subsequently used to calculate the spontaneous fluorescence probabilities, the branching ratios and the radiative lifetime for the 4F3/2 emitting level of Nd3+. The fluorescence branching ratio for the 4F3/2→4I11/2 laser transition is 47.3%. The maximum emission cross-section has been calculated to be 17.81×10−20cm2 at 1064.3nm using the Füchtbauer–Landenburg equation. The spectroscopic properties show that the α-Nd3+: Na3Y(VO4)2 crystal is a good candidate for a solid-state laser.