Optical dispersion and temperature dependent latching-type magneto-optical properties of magnetron sputtered Bi3Fe3.34Ga1.66O12 (001) and (111) films

Abstract We report on optical dispersion and temperature dependence of latching-type magneto-optical properties of heavily Ga-doped bismuth iron garnet films rf-magnetron sputtered onto Gd3Ga5O12 (001) and (111) substrates. At λ = 677 nm and room temperature, epitaxial Bi3Fe3.34Ga1.66O12 (001) and (111) films show, respectively, saturation Faraday rotation θFsat = − 0.92 × 104 and − 1.05 × 104 deg/cm, transmittance T = 0.86 and 0.81, magnetic hysteresis θF-H loop squareness θFrem/θFsat = 0.84 and 1.0, and coercive field Hc = 6.76 and 24.03 kA/m. Film's Faraday rotation is nicely fitted by molecular field Neel theory in the whole temperature range from TC = 316 K down to 85 K where θFsat = − 1.9 × 104 deg/cm and Hc = 151.20 kA/m.