Nonreciprocal racetrack resonator based on vacuum-annealed magnetooptical cerium-substituted yttrium iron garnet

Vacuum annealed polycrystalline cerium substituted yttrium iron garnet (CeYIG) films deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering on non-garnet substrates were used in nonreciprocal racetrack resonators. CeYIG annealed at 800 degrees C for 30 min provided a large Faraday rotation angle, close to the single crystal value. Crystallinity, magnetic properties, refractive indices and absorption coefficients were measured. The resonant transmission peak of the racetrack resonator covered with CeYIG was nonreciprocally shifted by applying an in-plane magnetic field. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America