Optical properties of Nd:YbVO4 crystal

Optical characteristics of a new laser crystal Nd:YbVO4 were studied. The optical parameters of a-cut and c-cut Nd:YbVO4 crystals were calculated by the Judd–Ofelt theory. The absorption crosssection of a-cut Nd:YbVO4 crystal was 5.34×10–20 cm2 at 808 nm, while it was 4.20×10–18 cm2 of c-cut Nd:YbVO4 crystal. The properties of energy transfer between Nd and Yb ions in Nd:YbVO4 crystal were discussed. In the fluorescence spectra, a peak at 472 nm appeared, which resulted from the coupling interaction between two Yb ions.