The Nd:GdVO4, Ho:Tm:GdVO4, Tm:GdVO4, Er:GdVO4, Yb:GdVO4 crystals were grown by Czochralski technique. Distribution coefficients of Yb3+, Tm3+, Er3+, Nd3+ ions depend linearly on average radius of a dodecahedral ion. Refractive indices are measured with accuracy within 5 by 10-5 in a range 400 - 1100 nm. Refractive indices depend on the size of the average dodecahedral radius. The thermal conductivity of the doped crystals in the 50 - 300 K temperature range is measured. The thermal conductivity in the <001> crystal direction at a temperature of 300 K is 12.3 W/m by K it is more than thermal conductivity of well-known Nd:YAG laser crystal. As a result of analysis it is shown that vanadate crystals have essential advantages for diode pump lasers in comparison with conventional YAG and YVO4 hosts: large stimulated emission cross section at lasing wavelength; wide absorption band at pump wavelength; low dependency on a pump wavelength and a temperature control of a diode laser; low lasing threshold. For compact design lasers were made crystals with thickness from 2 mm up to 150 micrometers. Microchip laser (monolithic laser) consists of flat-flat cavities formed by a short length of crystal with dielectric cavity mirrors deposited directly on the surfaces.