Chinese scientists at Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (AIOFM), Hefei Institutes of Physical Science have developed a series of new laser materials: Rare-Earth Tantalates and Niobates single crystals in recent years. The research results are published online in Crystals.

Rare-earth tantalates and niobates crystals can be used as laser hosts. Most of the tantalates and niobates are potential outstanding scintillators and laser materials. They belong to monoclinic system and have large crystal field energy. The active ions occupy the site with C₂ symmetry (RE sites), which is advantageous to remove the parity-forbidden rule of f-f transition. Therefore, it is beneficial for the realization of new emission and tunable wavelength.

Yb, Nd, Er, Ho doped tantalates and niobates can realize visible, near, and middle infrared lasers. At present, Nd:GdTaO₄, Nd:GdYTaO₄, Yb:NbO₄, Nd:GdNbO₄, Nd:YNbO₄, Nd:GdYNbO₄ have been realized laser output. These lasers can be applied in many different fields, including atmospheric monitoring, eye-safe laser, and medical treatment.

These works are financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 51502292, 51702322, and 61405206), National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFB0402101).

Link to the paper: Rare-Earth Tantalates and Niobates Single Crystals: Promising Scintillators and Laser Materials

Fig. 1 Photographs of the as-grown crystals: (a) GdTaO₄; (b) Nd:GdTaO₄; (c) Nd:GdYTaO₄; (d) Er:GdTaO₄; (e) Tm,Ho:GdYTaO₄; (f) Yb,Ho:GdYTaO₄; (g) Yb:GdNbO₄; (h) Yb:YNbO₄; (i) Nd:GdNbO₄; (j) Nd:YNbO₄; (k) Nd:GdYNbO₄; and (l) Nd:GdLaNbO₄. (Image by DOU Renqin)

Contact:

ZHOU Shu

Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (http://english.hf.cas.cn/)

Email: zhous@hfcas.ac.cn