Crystal growth and photoluminescence spectra properties of (YbxNdySc1-x-y)2SiO5 laser crystal

A (Yb0.05Nd0.003Sc0.947)(2)SiO5 (Yb3+, Nd3+: Sc2SiO5) single crystal grown by the Czochralski technique is designed to enhance the gain cross-section through the energy transfer between energy level F-4(3/2) of Nd3+ ions and energy level F-2(5/2) of Yb3+ ions. The cell parameters were calculated as a = 9.94 angstrom, b = 6.29 angstrom, c = 11.67 angstrom, V = 710.67 angstrom 3 and beta = 103.19 degrees. The absorption cross-section sigma(abs) in Yb3+, Nd3+: Sc2SiO5 was 1.18 x 10(-20) cm(2) at 980 nm, which was an increase of 28.3% when compared with that in a Yb3+: Sc2SiO5 crystal. The emission cross-section sigma(em) in Yb3+, Nd3+: Sc2SiO5 was 0.63 x 10(-20) cm(2) at 1063 nm, an enhancement of 18.9% when compared with that in Yb3+: Sc2SiO5. The minimum pump intensity parameter I-min at 1063 nm was 0.39 kW.cm(-2), which is a 74.5% reduction compared with 1.53 kW.cm(-2) in the case of YAG. A direct continuous wave diode-pumped Yb3+, Nd3+: Sc2SiO5 laser could generate an output power of 6.14 W at 1057.88 nm with a slope efficiency of 56.7% by using an output coupler with transmission T = 10%.