Synthesis of high-performance magnetic garnet materials and garnet-bismuth oxide nanocomposites using physical vapor deposition followed by high-temperature crystallization

Abstract

Bi-substituted iron garnet (Bi:IG) compounds synthesized in thin film form are the best semi-transparent magneto-optical (MO) materials for applications in magnetic recording, optical sensors, and photonics. These materials can possess attractive magnetic properties and the highest specific Faraday rotation in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions, if the deposited layers contain a high volumetric fraction of the garnet phase and possess high-quality surfaces and microstructure. In this paper, we study the effects of various deposition and annealing process parameters on the properties of Bi:IG and garnet-oxide nanocomposite films of several composition types fabricated using radio-frequency (RF) sputtering deposition followed by high-temperature isothermal crystallization. We also investigate the kinetics of garnet phase formation within a garnet-Bi-oxide nanocomposite material.