Thermal properties of a Nd:LuVO4 crystal

A Nd-doped lutetium orthovanadate Nd:LUVO4 crystal has been grown using a modified Czochralski method. The thermal properties of this crystal have been studied by measuring the thermal expansion, specific heat and thermal diffusivity. The thermal expansion coefficients are a(11) = 1.7 x 10(-6), a(22) = 1.5 x 10(-6) and a(33) = 9.1 X 10(-6) /K in the temperature range of 298-573 K along the three respective crystallographic axes. The specific heat is almost linear and increases from 0.442 to 0.498 Jg(-1)K(-1) in the measured temperature range. The thermal diffusivity is anisotropic and decreases with increasing temperature from 295 to 548 K. At room temperature the calculated thermal conductivities k(11) and k(33) are 7.96 and 9.77 Wm(-1)K(-1), respectively. These thermal parameters of Nd:LuVO4 crystal have indicated that it is an excellent candidate laser material. (c) 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.