Growth and characterization of Bi, Pr- and Bi, Sc-substituted lutetium iron garnet films with planar magnetization for magneto-optic visualization

Abstract

The series of epitaxial garnet films of general composition Lu3-x-yBixPryFe5-zAlzO12 and Lu3-xBixFe5-y-zScyAlzO12 were grown on (111) oriented GGG (gadolinium gallium garnet) substrates by the liquid phase epitaxy. Their magnetic and magneto-optical properties were studied using both experimental techniques and modelling. All obtained films demonstrated generally a magnetic anisotropy close to the easy-plane type. The Pr-containing films exhibited large negative uniaxial anisotropy and significant cubic anisotropy. The latter causes a distortion of magnetization curves in samples magnetized in a direction normal to the film plane, especially at low temperatures. The large negative uniaxial anisotropy of Pr-substituted iron garnets allows us to increase the saturation field up to 0.5 T at liquid nitrogen temperature. The Sc-doped films displayed small positive uniaxial anisotropy that did not exceed the shape anisotropy. The magnetization curves of these films did not show any distortion due to the cubic anisotropy. The suitability of Pr- and Sc-doped garnets that meet the requirements for indicator layers for magneto-optic visualization at liquid nitrogen temperature is discussed.

BixY3−xFe5O12 thin films prepared by laser ablation for magneto-optical imaging of superconducting thin films

“…2b. The saturation field, B s ; of the films was typically about 120 mT and the coercive field, B co ; about 6:5 mT: B s is fairly high, at least when compared to the LPE films we had [21], where B s ¼ 50 mT: However, it is possible to get LPE films with similar B s as our thin films [15,22]. High-B s enables measurements in higher fields, whereas low-B s enhances the magnetic resolution of the measurements.…”

Influence of circularly polarised light on the magneto-optical second harmonic generation in the iron garnett film derivatives

“…Moreover, hyperfine morphology may be also detected [10,11]. At the same time the investigated films possess the magnetooptical effects [12], which allow to predict the good magnetic induced non-linear optical effects. * Corresponding author.…”

Surface morphological changes and magnetic properties of Sc-substituted Y3Fe5O12 epitaxial films deposited on the GGG substrate

“…It is known that doping of epitaxial iron garnet films for integrated magneto-optics with Pr or Sc ions results in the formation of negative uniaxial anisotropy [2,3]. When the uniaxial anisotropy field is less than the shape anisotropy field the film exhibits an ''easy-plane''-like behavior in external magnetic fields, and it has a low in-plain saturation magnetic field [4,5].…”