Four kinds of Nd

3+

doped PbWO

4

single crystals with different doping concentrations were grown by a vertical Bridgman method and Czochralski method. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of Nd

3+

doping concentration on the band gap structures and the luminescence properties on the base of optical absorption edge and luminescence of PbWO

4

single crystals

respectively. The optical absorption spectra of PWO:Nd

3+

crystals were measured at first. The dependence of absorption coefficient and the optical absorption edges on the doping levels of Nd

3+

ion were investigated. Compared to that of pure PbWO

4

the optical absorption edges in Nd

3+

doped samples at lower concentration 0.15% show the shift to high energy region (short wavelength). With increasing of Nd

3+

doping

the optical absorption edge greatly shifts to the low energy region (long wavelength). Based on the J-O theory

the phenomenological intensity parameters

intermanifold luminescence branching ratios

irradiative lifetime of the

4

F

3/2

level

the absorption and emission cross section of the PbWO

4

:Nd

3+

crystals were calculated. Photoluminescence of PbWO

4

:Nd

3+

crystals were discussed. In PbWO

4

:Nd

3+

luminescence from PbWO

4

host

especially the exciton excitation

are supressed with increasing of Nd

3+

doping concentration; and in Nd

3+

heavily doped PbWO

4

new excitation bands related to the oxygen vacancy were created. Fluorescence intensity and lifetime of

4

F

3/2

→

4

I

11/2

excited by laser diode (LD) and its lifetime at room temperature show a dependence of Nd

3+

concentration. Under excitation by 808 nm laser diode

PbWO

4

:Nd

3+

2.0% show an efficient 1.06 μm emission (950~1100 nm).