Abstract

Trivalent lanthanide doped LiYF₄ (YLF) is commonly grown by Czochralski pulling [1, 2]. Previous work using the Bridgman technique [3] produced single crystals, however, without control of orientation. Oriented YLF single crystals were recently obtained by a vertical gradient freezing technique based on seeded growth [4]. Both pure YLF and LiY_1-xLn_xF₄ with Ln = Er (0.01 ≤ × ≤ 0.20), Pr (x = 0.01) and Nd (0.01 ≤ × ≤ 0.03) were grown under N₂ atmosphere in a glassy carbon crucible. Usable crystal lengths up to more than 50 mm at 15 mm diameter were achieved. Nd and Er doped rods showed IR laser action under flashlamp or NIR laser diode pumping.

© 1996 IEEE