Nd:GdScO3 crystal: Polarized spectroscopic, thermal properties, and laser performance at 1.08 µm

The spectroscopic and thermal properties, and laser performance of Nd:GdScO3 crystal grown using the Czochralski method were studied in detail. The corresponding XRPD pattern shows that the crystal belongs to the orthorhombic system with the cell parameters of a = 5.487 Å, b = 5.752 Å, and c = 7.940 Å. Polarized absorption and fluorescence spectra were recorded, and the spectroscopic parameters were systematically calculated by the Judd–Ofelt theory. The absorption cross-sections at 806.5 nm are 4.666, 2.479 and 2.354 × 10-20 cm−2 with polarization along the principal a-, b- and c-axis, respectively. The maximum emission cross-section is 9.405 × 10-20 cm2 at 1083.8 nm, and the fluorescence lifetime of 4F3/2 energy level is found as 147.4 µs. The specific heat of the crystal is 0.382 J g−1 K−1 at 298.15 K, and the principal thermal conductivity components at room temperature are k1 = 3.24, k2 = 3.17, and k3 = 3.11 W m−1 K−1, respectively. Continuous-wave laser operation at 1.08 µm was realized in Nd:GdScO3 crystal for the first time, and the maximum output power yields 3.16 W with the slope efficiency of 47.5%.