Growth, structure and spectroscopic properties of 1 at.% Er3+: GdTaO4 laser crystal

1 at% Er3+ doped Er: GdTaO4 laser crystal with high optical quality was successfully grown by the Czochralski method. The structural parameters were obtained by the X-ray Rietveld refinement. A high crystalline quality of Er: GdTaO4 was determined by the X-ray rocking curve. The transition intensity parameters of Er3+ ions were fitted according to the absorption spectra along three principal polarization directions. The relatively larger emission cross section (1.022 x 10(-20) cm(2)), long fluorescence lifetime (5.66 ms) and relatively weaker re absorption phenomenon around 1.6 mu m indicate that 1 at% Er: GdTaO4 crystal can be used as a promising NIR laser material. Meanwhile, the stimulated emission cross-section spectra along three principal polarization directions were investigated for I-4(13/2) -> I-4(15/2) transitions at 1.5-1.6 mu m which indicates a great potential of Er: GdTaO4 for multi-wavelength emission at 1.5-1.6 In addition, the possibility of generating green and red lasers in Er: GdTaO4 was also analyzed and evaluated.