Design, growth, and characterization of Y(2)Mo(4)O(15) crystals for Raman laser applications

A new crystal Y(2)Mo(4)O(15) with dimensions of 14 × 12 × 5 mm(3) was successfully grown via a top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) method. The crystal structure shows that Y(2)Mo(4)O(15) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c (No. 14, a = 6.8110(4) Å, b = 9.5833(6) Å, c = 10.5124(7) Å, β = 105.512(7)°, and Z = 2) with Mo(4)O(15) and YO(7) polyhedra as basic structural units. Optical transmittance spectra of the Y(2)Mo(4)O(15) crystal exhibited a broad transmission range from 345 nm to 5575 nm. The group theory calculation and spontaneous Raman spectra show that the Y(2)Mo(4)O(15) crystal has 63 IR-active modes (32A(u) + 31B(u)) and 60 Raman-active modes (30A(g) + 30B(g)). The strongest Raman shift is located at 953 cm(−1) caused by the asymmetric stretching vibrations of the Mo–O bonds. The spontaneous Raman spectra and the possibility of rare-earth doping to the Y(2)Mo(4)O(15) crystal indicate the Y(2)Mo(4)O(15) crystal to be a promising Raman and self-Raman crystal.