Thin films of (ErEu)3 (FeGa)5O12 garnet have been grown by liquid-phase epitaxy onto (111) -oriented GGG substrates, by increasing in steps the Ga2O3 concentration in the melt. For the molar ratio Fe2O3/Ga2O3 ranging from 8.3 to 7.6, the films show large ’’rag’’ domains rather than the usual strip-domain pattern. These ’’rag’’ domains can be given any predetermined shape under the drive of external magnetic fields, the obtained figures being stable without need of any bias field. These features make rag-domain films suitable for magnetic writing and magneto-optic displays. Measurements of the relevant parameters of a number of such films show that reasonable material performances are obtainable.

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Thermal treatments in oxygen atmosphere offer a convenient way of varying the properties of ’’rag’’-domain garnet films (namely, films showing macroscopic unperiodical domains because of the vicinity of the compensation temperature to room temperature). Substantial changes are obtained in the following parameters relevant for the application of rag-domain films to magnetic writing and magnetooptic displays: anisotropy field, domain nucleation field, optical transmission, and compensation temperature. The last can be changed in a range of 65 °C around the as-grown value. The temperature behavior of the magnetization and the transitions between rag and strip domains are studied.