Growth, structure and spectroscopic characterizations of Nd3+-doped LiLa(WO4)2 crystal

LiLa(WO4)(2) crystal melts congruently at 1065degreesC. A crystal of Nd3+-doped LiLa(WO4)(2) with dimensions up to phi22 x 24 mm(2) was grown by the Czochralski method. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that LiLa(WO4)(2) crystallizes in the tetragonal with space group 14(1)/a (C-4h(6)) and has the cell parameters: a = b = 5.332Angstrom, c = 11.523Angstrom, Z = 2, V = 328.98 Angstrom(3), D = 6.50. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of Nd3+:Li La(WO4)(2) crystal were investigated. The absorption and emission cross sections are 1.88 x 10(-20) cm(2) at 805 nm and 21.7 x 10(-20) cm(2) at 1062 nm, respectively. The fluorescence lifetime is 141 mus and the spectral parameters have been calculated based on Judd-Ofelt theory. The intensity parameters, Omega(1), obtained were Omega(2) = 9.03 x 10(-20) cm(2), Omega(4) = 2.07 x 10(-20) cm(2), Omega(6) = 2.57 x 10(-20) cm(2). The radiative lifetime is 296 mus, and the quantum efficiency eta = 47.6%. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.