# Yttrium orthovanadate, YVO4

Yttrium orthovanadate (YVO4) is a crystalline material known for its outstanding optical properties. It serves as a prominent choice for optical applications, especially as a laser host crystal. When doped with specific rare-earth ions like neodymium (Nd:YVO4), it becomes a popular solid-state laser medium due to its high gain, low lasing threshold, and high efficiency. YVO4 also exhibits excellent birefringence, which makes it suitable for frequency doubling and other nonlinear optical processes. The material boasts a broad transparency range, from the visible to the near-infrared spectrum. Its high index of refraction enables tight focusing of light, beneficial in certain optical systems. In its pure form, YVO4 is transparent and colorless.

## Other name

- Yttrium vanadate

## External links

- Yttrium orthovanadate - Wikipedia
- Vanadate lasers - Encyclopedia of Laser Physics and Technology