title: Growth and characterization of self-Q-switched Nd:Cr:YVO4 crystal.
abstract: A Nd:Cr:YVO4 crystal was grown by the Czochralski method for the first time to our knowledge. Its structure and cell parameter have been studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analysis. Polarized absorption spectra were measured at room temperature, which showed that the absorption bands display polarization character and an absorption band of Cr5+ ions at 1110 nm enables the crystal to be a self-Q-switched laser material. We also found that the absorption of Cr5+ ions became much larger and its self-Q-switched laser performance became much better when the Nd:Cr:YVO4 crystal was annealed because the annealing induces more Cr ions to become those with + 5 valence. In the self-Q-switched laser, the maximum output power, shortest pulse width, and largest pulse energy were obtained to be 120 mW, 85.8 ns, and 0.79 μJ, respectively.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials and Institute of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China.
authors.forename: Z B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Z P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D012031:Refractometry
chemical_list: D008670:Metals