PZT-Driven Micromagnetic Optical Devices

A magneto-optic spatial light modulator (MOSLM) driven by electric field is presented. Using finite element method simulation, the parameters of the MOSLM are decided including the 1 μm piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based layer, the 200 nm bottom electrode, and the 8V electrical applied voltage. A flat surface magneto-optical bismuth-substituted iron garnet (Bi:YIG) based film having an array-pixels structure was created by a site-selected epitaxial method on a SGGG-based substrate. In order to avoid high temperature annealing process which may damage the Bi:YIG film, the PZT film was deposited by the aerosol deposition method (ADM) on the Bi:YIG film. By stress field induced by the PZT film to the Bi:YIG film with an external magnetic field, the pixels of the device were successfully switched.