Layer-by-layer growth and magnetic properties of Y3Fe5O12 thin films on Gd3Ga5O12

We report on the layer-by-layer growth of epitaxial yttrium-iron-garnet (Y3Fe5O12) thin films on (111) and (110) Gd3Ga5O12 substrates as verified by the intensity oscillations of reflection high energy electron diffraction during pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction indicates pseudomorphic lattice structure with slight expansion along out of plane from cubic one. The saturation magnetization well reproduces the full moment observed for bulk crystals. The crystallographic magnetic anisotropy was also preserved regardless of shape anisotropy in different orientations. Magnetic anisotropy similar to bulk crystals was observed for as-grown films which have not been subject to a postannealing process.