Growth of LiNbO3 co-doped with Er3+/Yb3+

Single crystals of LiNbO3 co-doped with Er3+ and Yb3+ have been grown by the Czochralski technique, from melts having a fixed erbium concentration (0.5 mol%) and different ytterbium concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mol%). Optical absorption measurements indicate the efficient incorporation of the rare-earth ions to the crystal, with the absorption bands characteristic of the 3(+) valence. The co-doping with Yb3+ increases substantially the absorption band in the 880-1040 nm region compared to Er-doped crystals. The incorporation of the rare-earth ions to the crystal is better described by considering both dopants as a single species with a solubility dependent on the total impurity concentration. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.