Neodymium-doped yttrium orthovanadate

Neodymium-doped yttrium orthovanadate (Nd:YVO4) is a crystalline material formed by adding neodymium ions to yttrium orthovanadate. It is commonly used as an active laser medium for diode-pumped solid-state lasers. It comes as a transparent blue-tinted material. It is birefringent, therefore rods made of it are usually rectangular.

Basic properties

 * Atomic density: ~1.37×1020 atoms/cm2


 * Crystal structure:
 * zircon tetragonal (tetragonal bipyramidal)
 * space group D4h
 * a=b=7.12, c=6.29


 * Density: 4.22 g/cm2


 * Mohs hardness: Glass-like, ~5


 * Thermal expansion coefficient:
 * αa=4.43×10-6/K
 * αc=11.37×10-6/K


 * Thermal conductivity:
 * parallel to C-axis: 5.23 W&middot;m-1&middot;K-1
 * perpendicular to C-axis: 5.10 W&middot;m-1&middot;K-1

Optical properties

 * Lasing wavelengths : 914 nm, 1064 nm, 1342 nm


 * Crystal class : positive uniaxial, no=na=nb, ne=nc,
 * no=1.9573, ne=2.1652, at 1064 nm
 * no=1.9721, ne=2.1858, at 808 nm
 * no=2.0210, ne=2.2560, at 532 nm


 * Fluorescence lifetime (spontaneous emission lifetime) as a function of Nd ions concentration:


 * Absorption cross-section at 808nm : 5.5×10-20 cm²


 * Emission cross-section at 1064nm : 38×10-19 cm²  (Reference: JOSA 66, 1405-1414 (1976).)


 * Polarized laser emission : π-polarization; parallel to optic axis (c-axis) (for a-cut crystal)


 * Gain bandwidth : 0.96 nm (257 GHz) at 1064 nm (for 1.1 atm% Nd doped)