Faraday effect in gadolinium iron garnet

The Faraday effect (FR) is investigated experimentally in GdIG (Gd3Fe5O12)single crystals ; the magnetic field up to 20 kOe was applied along the [111] direction at a wavelength of 1.15 micron. The 4.2-580 K temperature range covers all the magnetic ordering domain. The Faraday rotation reciprocal susceptibility differs strongly from that observed in other heavy rare earth garnets. In the spontaneous state the results are analyzed using the model where the Fe³⁺total contribution to FR is the same as that of YIG. At very low temperatures the Gd³⁺contribution originates from magnetic dipole contribution only ; in the 25-425 K temperature range the electric dipole coefflcient Cse presents a linear temperature dependence. At the Néel point the GdIG Faraday rotation is going to zero.