Sol-gel preparation of YIG (Y 3Fe 5O 12) thin film showing opto-magnetic effect

Abstract

Y 3-xBi xFe 5O 12 (Bi: YIG) is a soft ferrite material used in devices for its opto-magnetic effect. Films of Bi: YIG have been prepared by dipping a silica glass plate or a gadolinium garnet single crystal. Single phase Bi: YIG was obtained upon heat treatment at 700°C for 5 h in air. The film thickness was about 8.0 nm. The transmittance of these films was about 70% in the range 500–700 nm. The saturation magnetization, σ s, of the films in the composition of Y 3- x Bi x Fe 5O 12 ( x = 0.4−1.8) was 50 emu/cm 3 after heat treatment at 700°C for 5 h. The Faraday rotation angle, ϑ F, of sol-gel films was shown to be much larger than for the single crystal thin film prepared by liquid phase epitaxy.