Laser oscillations have been produced in large crystals of Nd³⁺-doped Ca₅(PO₄)₃F (the mineral fluorapatite, whence the coined name FAP) at room temperature under both tungsten lamp and flash lamp excitation. The laser tests show that FAP:Nd crystals have four times greater gain per incident pump energy and over one and a half times greater differential (slope) energy efficiency than equal size YAG: Nd crystals. The fluorescence, excitation, and absorption spectra of FAP:Nd are partially polarized, as expected for Nd³⁺ substituting Ca II sites of C_1h symmetry. The fluorescence lifetime is 0.24 msec at 300°K. Laser oscillations occur at 1.0629 µ in π polarization (E‖c), which has 2.6 times the gain of σ polarization (E⊥c).

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