$\mathrm{Yb}\text{:}{\mathrm{PbF}}_2$ and Yb, $\mathrm{Na}\text{:}{\mathrm{PbF}}_2$ laser crystals are grown by the Bridgman method. Room-temperature absorption, photoluminescence spectra, and fluorescence lifetimes of ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ ions in the crystals have been investigated. Experimental results show that ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$ ions codoping with ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ as charge compensators can suppress the deoxidization of ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ to ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{2+}$ . The result of diode-pumped laser operation of a Yb, $\mathrm{Na}\text{:}{\mathrm{PbF}}_2$ single crystal is reported for the first time to the best of our knowledge . With a $1\mathrm{mol}\mathrm{.}\%$ ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ -doped sample, we obtained $2.37\mathrm{W}$ output power at $1056\mathrm{nm}$ for $17.9\mathrm{W}$ of incident power at $978\mathrm{nm}$ .