Abstract

AbstractThis work aims to equip integrated optical circuits with important magneto-optical devices, such as isolators, that are currently available only as discrete components. Reactive rf sputtering was used to grow cerium-doped yttrium iron garnet films onto a variety of substrates, including SiO2-buffered Si, fused Si02 and MgO. MgO was used because it has proven to be a good buffer material for semiconducting substrates. Ce-doping was not effective via reactive sputtering due to a scale which formed on the Ce metal that prevented sufficient contact with the rf target. The films were amorphous as deposited. Stoichiometric Y3Fe5O12 films yielded smooth, polycrystalline garnet films upon annealing. A study of the effect of fluctuations in the Y:Fe ratio revealed that oxygen content is important for the prevention of secondary phases. Therefore, a high oxygen content should be used in the sputtering gas and subsequent annealing should be performed in oxygen.

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