Anisotropy of the Linear Magnetic Birefridence of Europium Iron Garnet

Abstract

The results of investigation of magnetic linear birefringence (MLB) and magnetic linear dichroism (MLD) of Eu3Fe5O12(EuIG) iron garnet on7F07F6optical transitions upon variation of the directions of the magnetization vector I relative to the electric vector E linearly polarized light that propagates through single crystal iron garnets are presented. The measurements were made on Eu3Fe5O12single-crystal samples in the form of plates 100 μm thick cut in the (110) and (100) plane at the temperatures T = 82 and in a magnetic field H= 25 kOe. The absorption spectra of the linearly polarized light were studied. It is shown that MLB and dichroism in the region of the7F07F6absorption band reach values 10-3. First experimentally discovered nonreciprocity of MLB spectra and dichroism with the change of the relative orientation of the magnetization vector I and the light wave vector. This effect may use as a base for the design of the different transducers, for example, magnetooptical optical channels commutator.