We grew Sc-doped near-stoichiometric LiTaO3 (Sc:SLT) crystals from Li-rich (61 mol% Li) solutions with Sc concentrations of up to 1.0 mol% by using a top-seeded solution-growth method. We investigated the effect of the Sc-doping on the effective distribution coefficient, the optical damage (photorefractive damage), the OH- absorption peak position, the Curie temperature, the transmittance spectra, the UV absorption edge, the electric field for domain inversion, the ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices, and the thermal conductivity along the Z-axis. Crystals doped to an Sc concentration of at least 0.44 mol% showed no optical damage at a wavelength of 532 nm. This concentration is low compared to the 1.0 mol% Mg-doping concentration required to suppress optical damage in SLT crystals. The thermal conductivity of these Sc(0.44 mol%):SLT crystals was closer to that of pure SLT crystal than was that of Mg(1.0 mol%):SLT crystals. This means that Sc:SLT crystal is a promising candidate material for use in high-power lasers used for quasi-phase-matching frequency conversion. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.