Neodymium and gadolinium diffusion in yttrium vanadate

The thermal diffusion of Nd3+ and Gd3+ ions in YVO4 is characterized, yielding diffusion rates of 7×10-19 and 44×10-19 m2 s-1, respectively, at 1400 °C and activation energies of 5.3×10-19 and 2.9×10-19 J, respectively, for diffusion along the c axis. The fluorescence properties of the Nd3+-diffused YVO4 agree well with those of bulk doped materials. The formation of a planar optical waveguide was also observed for one of the Nd3+-diffused samples. This characterization is a significant first step toward fabrication of waveguide lasers and amplifiers in this important laser material.