Sinoceramics

Neodymium Doped Yttrium Vanadate (Nd:YVO4)

Nd:YVO4 is the most efficient laser crystal for diode-pumped solid-state lasers. Its good physical, optical, and mechanical properties make Nd:YVO4 an excellent crystal for high power, stable, and cost-effective diode-pumped solid-state lasers. Compared to Nd:YAG for diode laser pumping, Nd:YVO4 lasers possess:
  •       Lower lasing threshold and higher slope efficiency
  •       Large stimulated emission cross-section at lasing wavelength
  •       High absorption over a wide pumping wavelength bandwidth
  •       Low dependency on pumping wavelength and tend to single mode output
  •       Optically uniaxial and large birefringence emit strongly-polarized laser

    • Basic Properties:

    Atomic Density: 1.26x1020 atoms/cm3 (Nd 1.0%)
    Crystal Structure: Zircon Tetragonal, space group D4h-I4/amd. a=b=7.1193, c=6.2892
    Density: 4.22g/cm3.
    Mohs Hardness: 4-5
    Thermal Expansion Coefficient (300K): a a=4.43x10-6/K, a c=11.37x10-6/K.
    Thermal Conductivity Coefficient (300K): ĻUC: 0.0523W/cm/K,     ^ C: 0.0510W/cm/ K.     

    Optical Properties: ( for 1.1 atm% Nd:YVO4, a-cut )

    Lasing wavelength: 1064nm, 1342nm
    Thermal optical coefficient (300K): dno/dT=8.5 x 10-6/K, dne/dT=2.9 x 10-6/K.
    Stimulated emission cross-section: 25 x 10-19cm2 @ 1.064m.
    Fluorescent lifetime: 90m s.
    Absorption coefficient:     31.4cm-1 @810nm.
    Intrinsic loss:     0.02cm-1 @1064nm.
    Gain bandwidth: 0.96nm @1064nm.
    Polarized laser emission: p polarization; parallel to optic axis(c-axis).
    Diode pumped optical to optical efficiency: >60%. 

    Sellmeier equations for pure YVO4 crystal are as follows:

    Laser Properties:  

    The Nd:YVO4 crystal has large stimulated emission cross-sections at both 1064nm and 1342nm. The stimulated emission cross-section of an a-axis cut Nd:YVO4 crystal at 1064nm is about 4 times higher than that of the Nd:YAG crystal. Although the lifetime of Nd:YVO4 is about 2.7 times shorter than that of Nd:YAG. Because of its high pump quantum efficiency, the slope efficiency of Nd:YVO4 can be very high if the laser cavity is properly designed. Table 1 lists the major laser properties of Nd:YVO4 in comparison with those of Nd:YAG. 

    Laser Properties of Nd:YVO4

    Laser crystal

      Doping (atm%)
    s
    (x10-19cm2)

    a
      (cm-1)

    t  
       (ms)

    La
         (mm)

    Pth
         (mW)

    hs
          (%)

    Nd:YVO4(a-cut)

    1.0

    25

      31.2

    90

     0.32

    30

    52

    2.0

    25

      72.4

    50

     0.14

    78

    48.6

    Nd:YVO4(c-cut)

    1.1

    7

    9.2

    90

    231

    45.5

    Nd:YAG

    0.85

    6

      7.1

    230

     1.41

    115

    38.6

    Typical Results:

    Diode pumped Nd:YVO4 laser output comparing with diode pumped Nd:YAG laser

    Crystals

    Size (mm3)

    Pump Power

    Output (at 1064nm)

    Nd:YVO4

    3x3x1

    850mW

    350mW

    Nd:YVO4

    3x3x5

    15W

    6W

    Nd:YAG

    3x3x2

    850mW

    34mW

    Diode pumped Nd:YVO4+KTP green laser

    Nd:YVO4 (mm3)

    KTP (mm3)

    Pump Power

    Output (TEM00 at 532nm)

    3x3x1

    3x3x5

    890mW

    76mW

    3x3x1

    3x3x5

    50mW

    2.5mW
    1. A threshold of 78 mW and a slope efficiency of 48.5% at 1.064 mm were obtained by using an a-cut 3 mm long Nd:YVO4 crystal with output coupler R = 96%. Under the same conditions, a 5 mm long Nd:YAG crystal has a threshold of 115 mW and a slope efficiency of 38.6%.
    2. Recently, over 30 W of TEM00 output power was achieved by using a-cut Nd:YVO4 and pumped by 60 W fiber coupled diode lasers. The optical conversion efficiency exceeds 50%. High power and stable infrared output @ 1064 nm and 1342 nm has been available with diode pumped Nd:YVO4 lasers.
    3. Single-longitudinal-mode oscillation of a Nd:YVO4 microchip laser has been achieved with high power and high slope efficiency. Such a single mode source has been developed for the use of a master oscillator for injection locking of Nd laser systems.
    4. Because of its large stimulated emission cross section at 1.34 mm, Nd:YVO4 is also an efficient laser crystal for diode laser-pumped 1.3 mm laser. By using 1 mm long Nd:YVO4 crystal and pumped by an 850 mW diode laser at 808 nm, 50 mW output at 1.34 mm has been observed, compared to 34 mW from 2 mm long Nd:YAG. 

    Nd:YVO4 Specifications

    Note: Other specifications of Nd:YVO4 are available.

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