POTENTIAL LASER GAIN MEDIA WITH THE STOICHIOMETRIC FORMULA RETINBO(6)

The laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG) technique has been used to gro w miniature crystals of the mixed niobates, RETiNbO(6) with RE = Nd, P r and Er, having typical dimensions of 0.5 mm diameter and 10 mm in le ngth. The Nd and Pr compounds grow in the aeschynite structure, wherea s the Er compound grows with the euxenite structure, The crystals grow n by the LHPG technique were characterised by measurement of their X-r ay diffraction patterns and optical absorption and photoluminescence s pectra. The latter show very high absorption coefficients for the rare earth ions and strong luminescence signals. Brief reports are present ed of these spectra, and discussed in terms of the potential of RETiNb O(6) single crystals as laser gain media.