Abstract

Nowadays, terbium gallium garnet (TGG) single crystals are most popular media for compact Faraday rotators and Faraday isolators for visible and near infrared range. Their main advantages are high Verdet constant, high optical quality and low absorption. The main technique of TGG single crystals growing is still Czochralski method despite efforts directed to the development of new ways of obtaining these crystals. This method allows growing crystals of high optical quality with diameter up to 75 mm and length up to 150 mm (Fig.1). We test crystal lattice defects and optimize crystal growing conditions. As a result high grade optical elements may be manufactured with aperture up to 30 mm and isolation quality up to 50 dB. Investigation of influence of doping and high temperature annealing on TGG spectral characteristics allows reaching absorption as low as 0.0015cm⁻¹at 1.06 μm wavelength.

© 2009 IEEE