Abstract: Faraday rotator garnet thick films have improved specific Faraday rotations without requiring a bias magnet. Films of nominal composition BiX(EuZHo1-Z)3-XFe5-YGaYO12 are grown lattice matched to available {Gd2.68Ca0.32}[Ga1.04Mg0.32Zr0.64](Ga3)O12 substrates. The film is prepared with Z ≦0.45, which allows higher concentrations of Bi to be included in the film than prior compositions. The increased amount of Bi results in a higher specific Faraday rotations for the film. For devices such as non-reciprocal optoelectronic devices that require 45-degree rotators, the increased specific Faraday rotation results in the use of thinner films of reduced path length as well as increased crystal growth yields.

Abstract: Polarization compensators and devices and systems incorporating them including polarization rotator means that employ novel polarization compensation means. The novel polarization compensator means employs the use of a variable retarder means with retardation dependent on environmental, system or operating requirements coupled with a second retarder means of substantially 90 degrees of retardation at the center specification conditions of operation. The polarization compensator may be part of either a reciprocal or a non-reciprocal device also having Faraday rotator means with specific dependence on temperature and wavelength. To improve performance significantly, temperature and/or wavelength dependence of the variable retarder of the invention is adjusted to be between about 1 and 3 times and preferably between about 1.5 and 2.5 times) the temperature and/or wavelength dependence of the Faraday rotator.