A high optical quality erbium doped Lu2SiO5 single crystal has been grown by the Czochralski method. The distribution coefficient of Er3+ was measured to be similar to 0.926. The absorption and emission spectra as well as the fluorescence decay curve of the excited state I-4(13/2) were measured at room temperature. The spectroscopic parameters were calculated using the Judd-Ofelt theory, and the J-O parameters Omega(2), Omega(4) and Omega(6) were found to be 4.451 x 10(-20), 1.614 x 10(-20) and 1.158 x 10(-20) cm(2), respectively. The room-temperature fluorescence lifetime of the Er3+ I-4(13/2) -> I-4(15/2) transition was measured to be 7.74 ms. The absorption and emission cross-section as well as the gain cross-section in the eye-safe regime of 1400-1700 nm were also determined and discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.