Production of Yb:YVO4 nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation in liquid using a femtosecond laser

Nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly being used in various fields with numerous applications in photonics. Specifically, there is a growing interest in using rare-earth (Re) doped NPs as laser-active material in silica optical fibers, which can provide new and enhanced optical properties for, e.g., fiber lasers. The ReNPs are commonly prepared using chemical synthesis. Here, we present an investigation of synthesizing Yb:YVO4 NPs via pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) using a femtosecond laser. Processing conditions affect the size, structure and colloidal stability of the Yb:YVO4 NPs, producing ovoid-like and less aggregated spherical NPs in water and ammonia, respectively.