Faraday rotation in single crystal erbium iron garnet

Measurements of the Faraday rotation of ErIG, Er₃Fe₅O₁₂, have been performed in the 4.2–300 K temperature range in magnetic field up to 20 kOe applied along the 111] direction and at 1.15 μm wavelength. The results are analysed under the assumption that the contribution of the Fe³⁺ ions to the total Faraday rotation is the same as that of YIG, Y₃Fe₅O₁₂. The temperature and field dependences of the contribution of the Er³⁺ ions are deduced. Both magnetic and electric dipole contributions of the Er³⁺ ions are calculated; the electric dipole coefficient C_e is found to present a linear temperature dependence between 30–300 K. The temperature dependence of the Faraday rotation susceptibility differs strongly from that of the magnetic susceptibility.