The incorporation of rare earth ions into KTiOPO4 crystals and into other isomorphous phases is more efficient for impurities of small ionic radius. Some of the Nd3+ and Er3+ spectroscopic properties in KTiOPO4 (KTP) and RbTiOPO4 (RTP) are discussed to illustrate the contribution of several centres to the optical absorption and photoluminescence properties. The Nd3+ centres observed in KTiOPO4 crystals grown in a W-rich flux have larger optical absorption cross sections than those observed in KTP crystals grown in a self-flux. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.