Yb³⁺:GdTaO₄ was grown by Czochralski method. Its absorption,photoluminescence spectra were measured,and its spectral property parameters were computed. Full width at half maximum (FWHM) of absorption of Yb³⁺:GdTaO₄ is 56 nm,which is 2.4 times broader than that of Yb³⁺:YAG. Its absorption peaks are at 930,957 and 974 nm,whose absorption cross sections are 0.81×10^-20,0.91×10^-20,and 1.2×10^-20 cM²,respectively. The main peak of photoluminescence is at 1016 nm. The FWHM of emission peaking at 1016 and 1035 nm are 42 and 57 nm,which are 4-6 times wider than that of Yb³⁺:YAG,corresponding cross sections are 2.29×10^-20 and 1.36×10^-20 cM²,respectively,which are a little higher than or equal to that of Yb³⁺:YAG. Its broad absorption band makes for decreasing the dependence on the temperature control of pump laser diode (LD),and broad emission band makes for realizing laser output of ultra-short pulse and tunable laser. Results indicate that Yb³⁺:GdTaO₄ is a very promising laser medium used in all-solid state ultra-short pulsed and tunable lasers.