Magneto-optical properties of high-purity zinc-tellurite glasses

High-purity TeO2-ZnO, TeO2-ZnO-Na2O and TeO2-ZnO-La2O3-Na2O glasses have been characterized in terms of material applicability for magneto-optical devices. Glasses with extremely low content of absorbing impurities of 3d-transition metals and hydroxyl groups have been prepared inside a sealed silica glass chamber in a flow of purified oxygen. Magneto-optical properties, including spectral dependence of the Verdet constant in the 450-1561 nm range and magnetic figure of merit, crystallization stability and optical properties in the IR range were studied.