Growth of Bi and Ga substituted YIG and LuIG layers by LPE method

Bi substituted Y- and Lu- iron garnets are very good materials for differen t kinds of magneto-optical applications. In this work we report the prepara tion of Bi,Ga: YIG and Bi,Ga: LuIG layers on Gd-Ga garnet (GGG) substrates grown by conventional, isotherm dipping LPE technique using PbO-Bi2O3-B2O3 system as a solvent. Electron microprobe analyses of the garnet films were performed by means of energy-dispersive spectrometer and the refractive ind ex of the layers was determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The layer gr owth rate (v), saturation magnetisation (4 piM(S)) and the Bi content of th e layers were determined as a function of the supercooling of the melt (AT) and of the substrate rotation rate (omega) at a given melt composition. Fr om these data the Deltav(L)/DeltaT, Delta4 pi Ms-S/DeltaT, Delta4 piM(S)/De lta(omega)(1/2), Delta Bi/DeltaT and Delta Bi/Delta(omega)(1/2) growth coef ficients were calculated. The physical parameters of the films (thickness, 4 piM(S), refractive index, Faraday rotation and the figure of merit) can b e very sensitively changed by these growth coefficients. The Faraday rotati on (Phi (p)) of our Y2.5Bi0.5Fe3.8Ga1.2O12 and Lu2Bi1Fe4.1Ga0.9O12 garnet l ayers is similar to 4.8x10(3) and similar to8.3x10(3)deg/cm at 633 nm wavel ength, respectively.