Nanostructured engineered materials with high magneto-optic performance for integrated photonics applications

Magnetic photonic crystals (MPC) provide novel functionalities (such as fast tunability) in optical integrated circuits for optical communication networks and sensors [1]. Until now, since the first report about the superior magnetooptical properties of bismuth-substituted iron garnets [2], this class of materials remains being considered the best magnetooptical media for use in MPC structures. This is because bismuth-substituted iron garnets demonstrate the highest Faraday rotation in the visible and near infrared spectral regions and excellent optical transmittance in the infrared region. The optical transmittance band of iron garnet materials is typically from 500 nm to greater than 5000 nm, where optical absorption coefficients as low as 10−1 cm−1 have been reported for pure Y3Fe5O12 at 1300 nm, and the absorption coefficients smaller then 80 cm−1 near 800 nm and near 1000 cm−1 in the red spectral region (630–650 nm) have also been reported [3]. Cerium-substituted iron garnet possesses even higher specific Faraday rotation near 700 nm compared with bismuth-substituted iron garnets, but unfortunately has a higher optical absorption level then bismuth-containing composition