Microwave and magneto-optic properties of pulsed laser deposited bismuth iron garnet films

We report on processing and comparative characterization of epitaxial Bi3Fe 5O12 (BIG) films grown by pulsed laser ablation of a precursor oxide target onto (NdGd)(3)(ScGa)(5)O-12 [NGSGG(111)] and Gd-3 (ScGa)(5)O-12 (GSGG(001) ] single crystals. Comprehensive X-ray diffraction analyses reveal the epit axial quality of the BIG films: they are single phase, exclusively (111) an d (001) oriented with less than 0.4 degrees and 0.06 degrees of the full wi dth at half maximum of the rocking curve of main texture Bragg reflection [ (111) for NGSGG and (001) for GSGG substrate, respectively]. The films are strongly in-plane textured with cube-on-cube film-to-substrate epitaxial re lationship. VSM and ferromagnetic resonance measurements revealed in-plane magnetization in BIG/GSGG(001) film, while the BIG/NGSGG(111) film was foun d to have perpendicular magnetization. For BIG(001) and (111) films the sat uration magnetization 4 piM(s) was found to be 1400 and 1200 Gs; the Farada y rotation at 635 nm was -7.8 and -6.7 deg/mum; the constant of uniaxial ma gnetic anisotropy was K-u* = -8.70 X 10(4) and +1.16 x 10(4) erg/cm(3); the constant of cubic magnetic anisotropy K-1 = -3.6 x 10(3) and -7.14 x 10(3) erg/cm(3). High Faraday rotation and low coercive field (less than or equa l to 40 Oe) of BIG/GSGG(001) films show promise for their use in integrated magneto-optic applications.