Growth of {Tb3}[Sc2−xLux](Al3)O12 Single Crystals for Visible-Infrared Optical Isolators

International audience; {Tb3}[Sc2−xLux](Al3)O12 crystals have been grown and investigated for the first time for magneto-optical applications. Tb3Al5O12 exhibits the best magneto-optical features; however, its incongruent melting nature has led to the industrial use of Tb3Ga5O12. Tb3Sc2Al3O12 had been proposed as an alternative to Tb3Al5O12, but unfortunately its growth also presents several drawbacks. The present investigation shows that by the isovalent substitution of Sc3+ by Lu3+ in the octahedral site of the garnet structure, it is possible to improve the growth characteristics while preserving the superior magneto-optical properties. We demonstrate that {Tb3}[Sc2−xLux](Al3)O12 crystals show a higher visible transparency and a larger Faraday rotation than Tb3Ga5O12 crystals. {Tb3}[Sc2−xLux](Al3)O12 is therefore a very promising material in particular for new magneto-optical applications in the visible-near IR wavelength region.