Planar optical waveguide and method of manufacturing same

A planar optical waveguide comprising:

• a nonmagnetic substrate;
• an absorption layer epitaxially provided on the substrate, said absorption layer being an iron garnet, said absorption layer absorbing radiation in the wavelength range from 1.0 to 2.5 microns, said absorption layer having a refractive index n.sub.A ;
• a first magnetooptical layer epitaxially provided on the absorption layer, said first magnetooptical layer being an iron garnet, said first magnetooptical layer having a refractive index n.sub.1 which is less than n.sub.A ;
• and
• a second magnetooptical layer epitaxially provided on the first magnetooptical layer, said second magnetooptical layer being an iron garnet, said second magnetooptical layer having a refractive index n.sub.2 which is approximately 1.times.10.sup.-3 to 1.times.10.sup.-2 times greater than n.sub.1.

A planar one-way optical waveguide comprising:

• a nonmagnetic substrate;
• an absorption layer epitaxially provided on the substrate, said absorption layer being an iron garnet, said absorption layer absorbing radation in the wavelength range from 1.0 to 2.5 microns, said absorption layer having a refractive index n.sub.A ;
• a first magnetooptical layer epitaxially provided on the absorption layer, said first magnetooptical layer being an iron garnet, said first magnetooptical layer having a refractive index n.sub.1 which is less than n.sub.A ;
• and
• a second magnetooptical layer epitaxially provided on the first magnetooptical layer, said second magnetooptical layer being an iron garnet, said second magnetooptical layer having a refractive index n.sub.2 which is approximately 1.times.10.sup.-3 to 1.times.10.sup.-2 times greater than n.sub.1.

A method of manufacturing a planar optical waveguide, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a nonmagnetic substrate;
• epitaxially depositing an absorption layer on the substrate, said absorption layer being an iron garnet, said absorption layer absorbing radiation in the wavelength range from 1.0 to 2.5 microns, said absorption layer having a refractive index n.sub.A ;
• epitaxially depositing a first magnetooptical layer on the absorption layer, said first magnetooptical layer being an iron garnet, said first magnetooptical layer having a refractive index n.sub.1 which is less than n.sub.A ;
• and
• epitaxially depositing a second magnetooptical layer on the first magnetooptical layer, said second magnetooptical layer being an iron garnet, said second magnetooptical layer having a refractive index n.sub.2 which is approximately 1.times.10.sup.-3 to 1.times.10.sup.-2 times greater than n.sub.1.