PREPARATION OF BI IRON-GARNET FILM WITH A 2-STEP GROWTH TECHNIQUE

Completely Bi-substituted iron garnet (Bi3Fe5O12, BiIG) film with a smooth surface is synthesized by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) sputtering using a two-step growth technique. Consequently, the waveguide propagation loss of BiIG film at a wavelength of 1.55 µm can be measured. The surface smoothness and the propagation loss can be improved with a buffer layer as thin as 2 nm, as the growth temperature Tb(400°C≤Tb≤600°C) is increased. This shows that buffer layer crystallinity plays an important role in making the BiIG film surface smooth and the propagation loss low. © 1990 IOP Publishing Ltd.