Ba3Tb(PO4)3: Crystal growth, structure, magnetic and magneto-optical properties

Abstract Ba3Tb(PO4)3 crystals have been grown by the slow-cooling method and the Czochralski technique for the first time for magneto-optical applications. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirms that the compound crystallizes in the cubic system I 4 ¯ 3 d , with eulytite structure with a = 10.4484(12) A, V = 1140.6(2) A3 and Z = 4. The hardness of Ba3Tb(PO4)3 crystal is about 5.5 Moh. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility indicated that the Ba3Tb(PO4)3 crystal exhibits paramagnetic behavior over the experimental temperature-range 2–300 K. Transmittance spectra and the Faraday rotation have been investigated, which demonstrate that Ba3Tb(PO4)3 crystal shows a higher visible transparency than Tb3Ga5O12 crystal and yields a Faraday rotation comparable to that of Sr3Tb(BO3)3 crystal. Ba3Tb(PO4)3 is therefore a promising material in particular for new magneto-optical applications in the visible region.