Integrating yttrium iron garnet onto nongarnet substrates with faster deposition rates and high reliability

Magneto-optical garnets (Y3Fe5O12 or YIG) were grown monolithically by a novel reactive radio-frequency sputtering method that used a partial pressure differential to increase sputtering rates. MgO and quartz substrates were used as they are good buffer layers and optical claddings for integration. A wide single-phase field for annealed YIG was found (26.9-43.2 at % Y), and the magnetic properties were measured. The films had refractive indices of 2.1 and out-of-plane Faraday rotations up to 0.2 degrees/mu m at 633 nm. The dielectric matrix was used to calculate the difference in the propagation constants of forward and backward traveling light (Delta beta=1.999x10(-5)). (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.