Congruent 0.2 and 0.5 mol% Nd-doped LiTaO3 single crystals were grown by the conventional Czochralski technique. Near-stoichiometric lithium-tantalate wafers were also produced from these crystals by the vapor-transport equilibration (VTE) process. The crystals were characterized by the measurements of composition (by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES)), UV absorption edge, Curie temperature, and thermal diffusivity. From the ICP-AES study, we found that Li/Ta ratio increased by the VIE treatment, while Nd/Ta ratio was found to decrease with crystal length. Blue-shift in the absorption edge was observed in the VTE treated crystals as compared with the congruent ones. The Curie temperature decreased with increasing Nd concentration, while thermal diffusivity was found to increase after the VTE treatment. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.