40 at%Yb3+,10 at%Er3+:Gd3Ga5O12 crystal was grown for the first time by the Czochralski method. Its absorption spectrum, near-infrared and mid-infrared wavebands fluorescence spectra, as well as the fluorescence decay curves of Er: I-4(13/2) and I-4(11/2) levels were measured at room temperature. The spectroscopic properties including the fluorescence lifetimes were revealed and compared with 10 at%Er3+:Gd3Ga5O12 crystal. In this work, we firstly observed the similar to 3.0 mu m emission corresponding to Er3+: I-4(11/2) -> I-4(13/2) transition in the grown crystal, which proves the existence of efficient energy transfer between Yb3+ -> Er3+, and the energy transfer mechanism was discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.