GROWTH AND CHARACTERISTICS OF NEODYMIUM-DOPED BISMUTH SILICATE CRYSTALS

The melting temperatures, the lattice parameters and the optical prope rties of Nd doped Bi12SiO20 have been studied for the diode pumped las er applications. The lattice parameters and the melting temperatures d ecrease from 10.1055 to 10.1035 angstrom and from 900 to 890-degrees-C with Nd2O3 concentration from 0 to 5 mol%. The crystals grown by Czoc hralski technique are transparent up to lambda=500 nm. The width of th e optical absorption peak due to Nd3+ ion (lambda=815 nm) is broader t han that of Nd doped Y3Al5O12. Segregation coefficient of Nd is estima ted to be about k=0.17. The solubility limit of Nd2O3 into Bi12SiO20 i s also suggested to be about 5 mol%.