The Growth of Nd:YAG Single Crystals by Czochralski Method with ADC-CGS – Preliminary Work

Abstract

Although Nd:YAG was invented in the 1960s in the last century, it has been and still the most commonly crystal material widely used in all types of solid-state lasers systems such as frequency-doubled continuous wave, high-energy Q-switched, and so forth in applications to the medical, industrial, military and scientific research. A Crystal Growth System namely Automatic Diameter Control -Crystal Growth System (ADC-CGS) was utilized to prepare a single crystal of Nd:YAG grown in the <111> direction using the Czochralski. By an effective control on the growth parameter such as maintaining temperature gradient by controlling the output power and the growth rate, an Nd:YAG single crystal with the dimensions of 75 mm in length and 30 mm in diameter was successfully produced using the ADC-CGS. The color of the Nd:YAG single crystal is slightly purple when exposed to the light. This is a unique characteristic of YAG crystal when doped with Neodymium (Nd) followed by a better fluorescence lifetime and thermal conductivity.

Nd:YAG Single Crystals Grown by the Floating Zone Method in a Laser Furnace

“…The strain causes large cracks inside the single crystals. It is a well-known problem, particularly in the case of Nd:YAG; − nevertheless, the narrow filaments were successfully grown by the laser-heated pedestal growth technique …”