Liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) grown Bi, Ga, Al substituted iron garnets with huge Faraday rotation for magneto-optic applications

High quality BiYIG layers can be grown on GGG and above all GGCMZ substrates by standard LPE for magneto-optic applications. The misfit stress in growing BiYIG layers with high Bi content leads to the development of morphological instabilities, which were avoided by use of lattice-matched GGCMZ substrates. Optimisation of flux melt composition and undercooling results in a Bi content up to 1.8 f.u. and a specific magneto-optical sensitivity of 0.085°/mT μm – saturation induction 54 mT; wavelength 633 nm. BiYIG layers are suitable for the imaging of magnetic structures. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)