The　pure　Ca9La(VO4)7　and　the　Nd:Ca　9La(VO4)7　crystals　with　various　Nd　3+-doped　concentrations　were　grown　by　Czochraski　method.　The　effective　segregation　coefficient　of　Nd3+　ion　in　Ca　9La(VO4)7　crystal　was　measured　as　1.07,　which　is　favorable　to　the　even　distribution　of　Nd3+　ions.　The　frequency-doubling　experiment　and　the　crystal　structure　analyses　show　that　the　presence　of　La3+　ion　in　crystal　can　improve　the　SHG　effect　of　Ca　9La(VO4)7　crystal.　The　intensity　of　SHG　effect,　measured　by　the　Kurtz　powder　method,　is　found　to　be　about　4　times　as　large　as　that　of　KH2PO4　(KDP)　crystal.　The　polarized　absorption　spectra　and　the　polarized　fluorescence　spectra　are　analyzed　based　on　Judd-Ofelt　theory,　which　show　that　the　Nd:Ca9La(VO4)7　crystal　is　hopeful　to　generate　laser　light　at　the　wavelengths　of　about　921,　1069　and　1349　nm.　The　luminescence　decay　kinetics　are　analyzed　based　on　the　migration　model,　and　the　results　indicate　that　Nd3+　ion　in　Ca　9La(VO4)7　crystal　has　a　high　quantum　efficiency,　about　98.2%　in　3.2　at.%　Nd:Ca9La(VO4)　7　crystal,　and　a　weak　concentration　quenching　effect.　Therefore,　Nd:Ca9La(VO4)7　crystal　may　be　a　high　efficiency　laser　material　and　a　candidate　of　self-frequency-doubling　(SFD)　laser　crystal.　©　2014　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.