GdVO₄as a new medium for solid-state lasers: some optical and thermal properties of crystals doped with Cd³⁺, Tm³⁺, and Er³⁺ions

The refractive indices of new Nd3+ : GdVO4, Tm3+ : GdVO4, and Er3+ : GdVO4 laser crystals were determined with an error of ±5×10-5 in the range 400–1100 nm. The birefringence of these crystals was on the average 0.24, and the dispersion was described by the formula 1/Δn2 = a+ b/λ2. The thermal conductivity of the Nd : GdVO4 crystal (atomic neodymium concentration 1.3%) was determined in the temperature range 77-300 K. At 300 K the conductivity along the <110> direction was 11.7 W m-1 K-1, which was higher than the conductivity of Nd : YAG crystals.