Yttrium orthovanadate

Yttrium orthovanadate (YVO₄) is a transparent crystal. It is commonly doped with neodymium to form Nd:YVO₄, an active laser medium used in diode-pumped solid-state lasers. Undoped YVO₄ is also used to make efficient high-power polarizing prisms similar to Glan–Taylor prisms.^[1]

Basic properties

Crystal structure: ^[2]
- Zircon tetragonal (tetragonal bipyramidal)
- Space group D_4h
- Lattice parameters a = b = 7.119 Å, c = 6.290 Å ^[3]

Density: 4.24 g/cm³ ^[3]
Melting point: 1810–1940 °C ^[3]
Mohs hardness: glass-like, ~5
Knoop hardness: 480 kg/mm² ^[4]
Thermal expansion coefficient: ^[2]
- α_a = 4.43×10^-6/K
- α_c = 11.37×10^-6/K

Thermal conductivity coefficient: ^[2]
- parallel to c-axis: 5.23 W·m^-1·K^-1
- perpendicular to c-axis: 5.10 W·m^-1·K^-1

Refractive indices, birefringence ( Δn = n_e - n_o) and walk-off angle at 45° (ρ):
- at 0.63 µm:
  - n_e = 2.2154
  - n_o = 1.9929
  - Δn = 0.2225
  - ρ = 6.04
- at 1.30 µm:
  - n_e = 2.1554
  - n_o = 1.9500
  - Δn = 0.2054
  - ρ= 5.72
- at 1.55 µm:
  - n_e = 2.1486
  - n_o = 1.9447
  - Δn = 0.2039
  - ρ = 5.69
- Sellmeier equation (λ in µm):
  - n_e²=4.59905 + 0.110534/(λ² − 0.04813) − 0.012267612 λ²
  - n_o²=3.77834 + 0.069736/(λ² − 0.04724) − 0.0108133 λ²

References

^ US patent 3914018, "Yttrium orthovanadate optical polarizer", granted 1975-10-21 , assigned to Union Carbide Corp.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Yttrium Vanadate (YVO4) Crystal". Casix. http://www.casix.com/product/prod_cry_yvo4.html. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
^ ^a ^b ^c DeShazer, L.G.; Rand, S.C.; and Wechsler, B.A. (1987). Weber, Marvin J. (ed.). ed. Handbook of Laser Science and Technology, Vol. V: Optical materials part 3. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 283. ISBN 0-8493-3505-1.
^ DeShazer, L.G.; Rand, S.C.; and Wechsler, B.A. (1987). Weber, Marvin J. (ed.). ed. Handbook of Laser Science and Technology, Vol. V: Optical materials part 3. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 329. ISBN 0-8493-3505-1.

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