Fluorescence and laser-emission cross sections in NaNdP4O12

Abstract

As a solid‐state laser material, NaNdP₄O₁₂ (NNP) single crystals were grown by the top‐seeding Kyropoulos method. It belongs to the monoclinic system with space group P2₁/c‐C⁵_2h, and the Nd content is 4.24×10²¹ cm⁻³. Fluorescence was examined at room temperature and at 77 °K. The lifetime of the ⁴F_3/2 level was measured to be 110±10 μs. A cw laser action was confirmed at room temperature. The laser emission was linearly polarized along the c axis. The effective emission cross section was measured to be σ_c=2.1×10⁻¹⁹ cm².