SBIR Phase I: Thick Film Planar Magnetooptic Garnet Faraday Rotators

这个小企业创新研究的第一阶段项目解决了在近红外操作的具有平面各向异性的厚磁光石榴石法拉第旋转膜的设备和市场机会。这种薄膜将是一个创新的解决方案，器件问题，需要高速连续变化的法拉第旋转与应用领域。制造厚膜平面法拉第旋转体的科学方法目前还不存在。该项目将开发一种方法来建立这类材料生长的必要标准，包括熔体成分、晶体成分、磁性能和生长条件。对于传感器和光子器件，这些薄膜的磁性将得到优化，因为传感器要求薄膜在低场下具有灵敏的响应，而光子器件对外加场的线性响应是至关重要的。这个项目的商业影响将是更便宜的磁性和电磁传感器。这种传感器通过故障预测和通过监测和控制预防和节约电力，对电力分配的可靠性具有直接影响的潜力。这些传感器可以在包括800 nm， 1310 nm和1550 nm波段的各种近红外波长上开发。该项目将解决车轮和涡轮机旋转、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。特别是电力应用有可能彻底改变电网的灾难性故障预防，并在各个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.