Multi-mode technique for the determination of the biaxial Y₂SiO₅ permittivity tensor from 300 to 6 K

The Y₂SiO₅ (YSO) crystal is a dielectric material with biaxial anisotropy with known values of refractive index at optical frequencies. It is a well-known rare-earth (RE) host material for optical research and more recently has shown promising performance for quantum-engineered devices. In this paper, we report the first microwave characterization of the real permittivity tensor of a bulk YSO sample, as well as an investigation of the temperature dependence of the tensor components from 296 K down to 6 K. Estimated uncertainties were below 0.26%, limited by the precision of machining the cylindrical dielectric. Also, the electrical Q-factors of a few electromagnetic modes were recorded as a way to provide some information about the crystal losses over the temperature range. To solve the tensor components necessary for a biaxial crystal, we developed the multi-mode technique, which uses simultaneous measurement of low order whispering gallery modes. Knowledge of the permittivity tensor offers important data, essential for the design of technologies involving YSO, such as microwave coupling to electron and hyperfine transitions in RE doped samples at low temperatures