Reduction of growth rate in Bi-substituted bubble garnets using MoO3- and V2O5- added flux

The growth rate of Bi-substituted bubble garnet films grown by liquid phase epitaxy has been reduced by adding MoO
3
or V
2
O
5
to PbO-Bi
2
O
3
flux. The growth rate can be reduced by decreasing the solute concentration. We have found that the solute concentration can be decreased by increasing the cation ratio of Mo/Pb or V/Pb in the melt, while the saturation temperature has been kept constant. The growth rate can be reduced to less than 50% of its original value when Mo/Pb is more than 0.2, and to less than 70% of its original value when V/Pb is more than 0.2. The changes in film properties with increasing Mo/Pb or V/Pb are so small that they can be recovered by small adjustments in the melt composition.