Crystal growth, optical properties and laser performance of new mixed Nd3+ doped Gd0.1Y0.9AlO3 crystal

A Nd3+ doped Gd0.1Y0.9AlO3 crystal was successfully grown using the Czochralski method. The segregation coefficient of Nd3+ ions was found to be as large as 0.76 in Gd0.1Y0.9AlO3 host. Based on the Judd-Ofelt theory, the three intensity parameters Ω2,4,6, radiative lifetimes, branching ratios were calculated to analyze the absorption and emission properties of the as-grown crystal. It is found that the width of the absorption band at around 880 nm is 29 nm, indicating that the Nd:Gd0.1Y0.9AlO3 crystal can be pumped efficiently by laser diodes. Furthermore, the large full width at half maximum at 1083 nm and long fluorescence lifetime (189.53 μs) were obtained, which means that the Nd:Gd0.1Y0.9AlO3 crystal may be an attractive host for ultrashort pulse and tunable broadband lasers. Being pumped by an 880 nm laser diode, the laser operation of Nd:Gd0.1Y0.9AlO3 crystal at 1.0 μm was obtained for the first time. A maximum output power of 677 mW was obtained with the 10% output coupler, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 22.16% and a slope efficiency of 27.80%. All these results show that Nd:Gd0.1Y0.9AlO3 crystal is a new mixed laser host which is suitable for 880 nm laser diode pump.