Large single crystals of neodymium and chromium co-doped gadolinium gallium garnet for efficient solid state lasers

The paper treats the problems of growth of large defectless single crystals of gadolinium- gallium garnet (GGG) doped with chromium, cerium, and neodymium, up to 65 mm in diameter and 130 mm long. The influence of UV radiation of the pump flashlamp on the formation of stable color centers in GGG-crystals co-doped with Cr, Ce, and Nd-ions was investigated. The processes of a nonradiative energy transfer from Cr to Nd ions in GGG were analyzed. The lasing properties of the GGG:Nd and GGG:Cr,Ce,Nd crystals were studied at 4F3/2 yields 4I11/2 and 4F3/2 yields 4I13/2 transitions. On the basis of grown crystals efficient lasers with the wavelengths of 1.06 and 1.33 micrometers are developed.