High-throughput characterization of BixY3 xFe5O12 combinatorial thin films by magneto-optical imaging technique

BixY3 xFe5O12 thin films have been grown on GGG (Gd3Ga5O12) (1 1 1) substrates by the combinatorial composition-spread techniques under substrate temperature (Tsub) ranging from 410 to 700 8C and O2 pressure of 200 mTorr. In order to study the effect of substrates on the deposition of BixY3 xFe5O12 thin films, garnet substrates annealed at 1300 8C for 3 h were also used. Magneto-optical properties were characterized by our home-designed magneto-optical imaging system. From the maps of Faraday rotation angle uF, it was evident that the Faraday effect appears only when Tsub = 430–630 8C. uF reaches to the maximum value ( 68/mm, l = 632 nm) at 500 8C, and is proportional to the Bi contents. XRD and EPMA analyses showed that Bi ions are easier to substitute for Y sites and better crystallinity is obtained for annealed substrates than for commercial ones.