Abstract:The garnet type polycrystal CexY3-xFe5O12 doped with Ce3+ was prepared by an optimized sol-gel method (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3; Ce:YIG). Crystals with no derived impurities and high magneto-optical properties prepared by pre-sintering and sintering in a wide temperature range of 900–1400 ℃ were obtained. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the the crystal synthesis temperature of 890 ℃. XRD results show that the crystal lattice constant varies from 1.237 241 nm to 1.241 210 nm, and the impurity phase CeO2 appears when x>0.2. SEM analysis shows that the grain size of Ce:YIG increases with the increase in sintering temperature and Ce3+ content, and its size distribution ranges from 0.257 to 6.52 μm, which is the maximum size of YIG crystal obtained at present. All Ce:YIG samples were ferromagnetic at room temperature, with saturation magnetization varying from 23.47 to 28.10 (A·m2)·kg–1. The permeability of Ce0.1Y2.9Fe5O12 crystal sintered at 1200–1300 ℃ is as high as 3.68–3.90. According to the relationship between Faraday rotation angle and permeability, the polycrystal sintered in this temperature range is likely to obtain the best Faraday rotation performance.