We report on the first compelling observation of α decay of 151 Eu to the ground state of 147 Pm. The measurement was performed using a 6.15 g Li 6 Eu(BO 3 ) 3 crystal operated as a scintillating bolometer. The Q-value and half-life measured are: Q = 1948.9±6.9(stat.) ± 5.1(syst.) keV, and T 1/2 = (4.62 ± 0.95(stat.) ± 0.68(syst.)) × 10 18 y. The half-life prediction of nuclear theory using the Coulomb and proximity potential model are in good agreement with this experimental result.

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Different regimes of laser operation and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) for a laser diode (LD)-pumped PbMoO4:Nd3+ crystal have been investigated. Under 1.5 W LD pumping, the output power of the PbMoO4:Nd3+ laser in the free-running mode at 1056 nm reached 0.65 W with a slope efficiency of up to 53%. Using different LiF: F-2 saturable absorbers, we achieved a maximum pulse energy of 11 microJ at a 1.4 ns pulse duration and a maximum output power of 0.35 W (10 microJ) at a 7 ns pulse width in the passively Q-switched mode. PbMoO4:Nd3+ self-Raman-laser operation at 1163 nm (first Stokes) was obtained for the first time, to our knowledge. The self-Raman-laser output pulse energy was measured to be as high as 6 microJ and the pulse duration was estimated to be shorter than 500 ps.

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Abstract:Crystal growth and thermal properties of binary borates, Ca 3 RE 2 (BO 3 ) 4 (RE = Y, Gd, Nd), are considered promising crystals for laser applications. These single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method. The crystal and defect structure were characterized. Volumetric chemical methods without prior separation of the components were developed and applied for the determination of the dependence of chemical compositions of the crystals on the growth conditions. The thermal conductivity was investigated in the 50-300 K range. The character of the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity was found to be similar to that of glass. The possible reasons of the observed features of the thermal conductivity were analyzed.