SBIR Phase I: Thick Film Planar Magnetooptic Garnet Faraday Rotators

这一小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目致力于研究具有平面各向异性的厚磁光石榴石法拉第旋转体薄膜在近红外下工作的设备和市场机会。对于需要随外加磁场高速连续变化法拉第旋转角的器件问题，这种薄膜将是一种创新的解决方案。目前尚不存在制造厚膜平面法拉第旋转体的科学认识。该项目将开发一种方法，为这类材料的生长建立必要的标准，包括熔体组成、晶体组成、磁性和生长条件。这些薄膜的磁性将针对传感器和光子器件进行优化，在传感器中，薄膜需要在低场下具有灵敏的响应，而在光子器件中，对外加磁场的线性响应至关重要。该项目的商业影响将是一种更便宜的磁性和电磁传感器。这种传感器有可能通过故障预测对电力分配的可靠性产生直接影响，并通过监测和控制预防和节约电力。这些传感器可以在各种近红外波长下开发，包括800 nm、1310 nm和1550 nm波段。该项目将涉及车轮和涡轮机旋转、电力分配、监测、计量和控制以及战场接近传感器等领域的应用。尤其是电力应用，有可能彻底改变电网中的灾难性故障预防，并在不同层面上降低电力成本。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses the device and market opportunity for thick magnetooptic garnet Faraday rotator films with planar anisotropy to be operated in the near infrared. Such films would be an innovative solution to device problems that require high speed continuously varying Faraday rotation with applied field. The scientific understanding to make thick-film planar Faraday rotators do not currently exist. This project will develop a method to establish the necessary criteria for the growth of materials of this type including melt composition, crystal composition, magnetic properties and growth conditions. The magnetic properties of these films will be optimized for sensors, where the film is required to have a sensitive response at low fields, and photonic devices, where a linear response to applied fields is critical. The commercial impact of this project would be a less expensive magnetic and electromagnetic sensor. Such sensors have a potential for immediate impact in reliability of electric power distribution through failure anticipation and prevention and conservation of electric power through monitoring and control. These sensors could be developed at a variety of near-infrared wavelengths including the 800 nm, 1310 nm and 1550 nm bands. Applications for areas such as wheel and turbine rotation, electric power distribution, monitoring, metering and control and battlefield proximity sensors will be addressed in this project. The electric power application in particular has potential to revolutionize catastrophic failure prevention in the power grid and reduce power costs at a variety of levels.