Microwave magnetostatic delay devices based on epitaxial yttrium iron garnet

Low-loss magnetostatic wave (MSW) propagation in epitaxial yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films allows the development of a technology which is complementary to that of surface acoustic waves (SAW´s), but capable of operation in the microwave range from 1 to greater than 12 GHz. Experimental low-loss dispersive and nondispersive tapped delay lines are described. Future developments of MSW´s involving signal routing by etched waveguides and periodic resonator structures are discussed, and the properties of MSW´s at microwave frequencies are compared with those of SAW´s at VHF/UHF.