Microwave magnetostatic delay devices based on epitaxial yttrium iron garnet

Low-loss magnetostatic wave (MSW) propagation in epitaxial yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films allows the development of a technology which is complementary to that of surface acoustic waves (SAW's), but capable of operation in the microwave range from 1 to greater than 12 GHz. Experimental low-loss dispersive and nondispersive tapped delay lines are described. Future developments of MSW's involving signal routing by etched waveguides and periodic resonator structures are discussed, and the properties of MSW's at microwave frequencies are compared with those of SAW's at VHF/UHF.