Magnetic properties of YIG (Y3Fe5O12) thin films prepared by the post annealing of amorphous films deposited by rf-magnetron sputtering

We report magnetic properties of Y3Fe5O12 (YIG) films on thermally oxidized Si (100) and (Gd3Ga5O12) GGG (111) substrates. Amorphous YIG films with the cation ratio Y:Fe=3.04:4.96, deposited by rf-magnetron sputtering at room temperature in pure argon atmosphere, were crystallized by postannealing (600–900 °C) of amorphous films in air and in 500 ppm oxygen. While postannealed YIG films on GGG substrates were well textured, those on Si (100) were randomly oriented. High-quality YIG films could be better obtained in the reduced (500 ppm O2) oxygen atmosphere than air since more effective YIG growth during annealing process and lower FMR linewidth (ΔH) of films could be achieved.