Optical properties of doped potassium gadolinium tungstate single crystals

Abstract

Single crystals of double tungstates find applications as laser materials having very good parameters. One of the intensively investigated material sis KGD(WO4)2 doped with rare earth elements. Single crystal of KGd(WO4)2 were grown with the use of Top Seeded Solution Growth technique from K2W2O7 solvent. The crystals have low absorption loses and show high lasing efficiency. Optical investigations of as grown KGW:Nd single crystal confirmed their good optical quality and high absorption coefficient near 810 nm, what in connection with strong luminescence near 1067 nm allows fabrication of diode pumped microchip lasers working both in CW and giant pulse regime. Absorption and luminescence spectra of Nd3+ doped KGW single crystals are presented. Laser action was obtained in form of 128.5 kHz train of 100 ns giant pluses due to YAG:Cr4+ passive Q-switch.