Crack-free Y3Fe5O12 films deposited on Si substrate obtained by two-step annealing process

YIG film with thickness of 203 nm was deposited on Si (1 0 0) substrates by the magnetron sputtering. A two-step annealing process was employed to fabricate YIG films, which involving two holding process at different temperature. The influences of two-step annealing conditions on crystallinity, microstructure and magnetic properties of YIG films have been investigated. It was found that high-quality crack-free YIG films with excellent magnetic properties could be successfully achieved on Si Substrates by adjusting the annealing conditions. The YIG film prepared by the two-step annealing process with the first-step annealing temperature of T1 = 750 °C and holding time of t1 = 3 h, the second-step annealing temperature of T2 = 500 °C and holding time of t2 = 3 h, exhibited a crack-free microstructure and presented excellent comprehensive performances with a saturation magnetization of 127 emu/cm3, coercive field of 37 Oe and FMR linewidth of 67 Oe.