ANALYSIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW MAGNETOOPTIC DISPLAY MATERIAL

The requirements on magneto-optic display material basically differ fr om those on magneto-optic data storage material. Display material is b ased on the principle of the magneto-optic Faraday-effect in transmiss ion, so that the following characteristics are required: high transmis sion in the visual range of the optical spectrum and high Faraday-rota tion. Magneto-optic yttrium-iron garnets (YIG) meet the mentioned requ irements. Magneto-optic garnet thin films were deposited by rf magnetr on sputtering onto AF45 glass substrate at different process parameter s. Tge composition and the stoichiometry of the components were analys ed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Differences between the measured and the simulated spectra are analysed according to the influ ence of straggling and the inhomogeneous growth of the layers. The mag neto-optic Faraday-rotation theta(F) was measured in the spectral rang e from 215 nm (UV) to 1100 nm (NIR). Correlations between the stoichio metry and the transmission as well as the Faraday-rotation are investi gated and presented.