Metamagnetics Inc. SBIR Phase I Award, September 2018

Metamagnetics proposes the development and refinement of a Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) growth process for epitaxial quality, thick films of Yittrium Iron Garnet (YIG). YIG is a magnetic material with unique magnetic properties that enable several new classes of spin-based microwave magnetic devices such as the Frequency Selective Limiter (FSL), and Signal to Noise Enhancer (SNE). This advanced technology provides automatic signal processing capability at Radio Frequencies (RF) without the need for power or control, making it very SWAP-C efficient. FSL technology is currently being developed and adopted by the Army for high power interference mitigation in several applications ranging from long range radar to SATCOM and PNT. However, Innovation is needed in the LPE, YIG growth process. In particular, current commercially available substrate crystal materials for LPE growth are not sufficiently well matched to YIG at the atomic level causing cracking of the YIG films. This results in stresses at the substrate/YIG interface, making it difficult or impossible to grow thick (50+ micron) films with the broad range of dopants needed for operation over a large range of frequencies. impossible.