Crystal growth, spectral and laser properties of Nd:LuAG single crystal

Nd:LuAG (Nd:Lu3Al5O12) crystal was grown by the Czochralski-method. X-ray powder diffraction experiments show that the Nd:LuAG crystal crystallizes in the cubic with space group Ia3d and has the cell parameter: a = 1.907 nm, V = 1.6882 nm(3). The absorption and fluorescence spectra of Nd:LuAG crystal at room temperature were investigated. With a fiber-coupled diode laser as pump source, the continuous-wave (CW) laser action of Nd:LuAG crystal was demonstrated. The maximum output power at 1064 nm was obtained to be 3.8 W under the incident pump power of 17.3 W, with the optical conversion efficiency 22.0% and the slope efficiency 25.7%.