Growth and magnetic properties of bismuth garnet flims for magneto-optic devices

A series of about 200 BixTm3-xFeyGa5-yO12films were grown by the liquid phase epitaxy method onto 50mm GGG substrates. Special attention was paid to measurement of films with Hco11≤ 35 gauss and anisotropy fields (H*k) from 1000-5000 gauss. Atomic absorption analysis showed that the range of Bi³⁺in our materials was 0.63 while Fe was found to he between 3.69 and 3.75 formula units. Curie temperatures for these films were between 389°K (XBi= 0.63) and 408°K (XBi= 0.88). Faraday rotation varied from 0.51°/μ(XBi= 0.63) to 0.86°/μ (XBi= 0.88). It was found that H*kand Hco11could be controlled in a manner which allowed films with tailored magnetic properties and high Faraday rotation to be produced.