Magnetooptic spatial light modulator with one-step pattern growth on ion-milled substrates by liquid-phase epitaxy

We demonstrate a magnetooptic spatial light modulator with one-step pattern formation of iron-garnet films on ion-milled substrates by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE). The one-step pixel growth is acquired by the combination of a single-crystal epitaxial film growth by LPE and an impeded film growth on a substrate whose surface has been locally damaged and milled by ion bombardment before film deposition. The interface between pixel (single-crystal expitaxial area) and pixel gap (perturbed epitaxial area) guides magnetic walls just like a groove. The fabricated prototype magnetooptic spatial light modulator (MOSLM) is switched by applying driving currents of 40 mA for the bottom conductor line and 80 mA for the top conductor line under external bias field of 20 Oe, which is over two times smaller than that of the conventional MOSLM. The novel MOSLM can provide higher resolution, simpler fabrication process, more compact systems, and lower driving current.