Influence of In3+ ions concentration on the defect structure and light-induced scattering of Ce:Mn:LiNbO3 crystals

Congruent Ce (0.1 mass%):Mn (0.015 mass%):LiNbO3 crystals codoped with In2O3(X mol%, X=0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5) were grown by the Czochralski method in the air. The In contents in the crystals were measured by an inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP-AES). The ultraviolet–visible and infrared transmittance spectra were characterized to investigate defect structures of these crystals. The light- induced scattering of In:Ce:Mn:LiNbO3 crystals was characterized quantitatively via the incident exposure energy. The results showed that the exposure energy of In (3 mol%):Ce:Mn:LiNbO3 is 29.83 J/cm2,which is approximately 20 times larger than that of Ce:Mn:LiNbO3. The relationship between the light-induced scattering and the defect structures was discussed. - Highlights: ► In:Ce:Mn:LiNbO3 crystals with the various concentration of In2O3 were grown. ► Distribution coefficients of In ions decrease as In3+ increases. ► The OH− absorption peak of these crystals changed from 3480 cm−1 (Ce:Mn:LiNbO3) to 3507 cm−1 (In(3 mol%):Ce:Mn:LiNbO3). ► In (3 mol%):Ce:Mn:LiNbO3 showed the best to resist the light-induced scattering.