Ba3Tb(PO4)3: Crystal growth, structure, magnetic and magneto-optical properties

Abstract Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystals have been grown by the slow-cooling method and the Czochralski technique for the first time for magneto-optical applications. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirms that the compound crystallizes in the cubic system I 4 ¯ 3 d , with eulytite structure with a  = 10.4484(12) A, V  = 1140.6(2) A 3 and Z  = 4. The hardness of Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystal is about 5.5 Moh. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility indicated that the Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystal exhibits paramagnetic behavior over the experimental temperature-range 2–300 K. Transmittance spectra and the Faraday rotation have been investigated, which demonstrate that Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystal shows a higher visible transparency than Tb 3 Ga 5 O 12 crystal and yields a Faraday rotation comparable to that of Sr 3 Tb(BO 3 ) 3 crystal. Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 is therefore a promising material in particular for new magneto-optical applications in the visible region.