The crystallization processes in Bi2.8Y0.2Fe5O12, Bi2.5Gd0.5Fe3.8Al1.2O12, Bi1.5Gd1.5Fe4.5Al0.5O12 and Bi1.0Y0.5Gd1.5Fe4.2Al0.8O12 garnet films deposited by reactive ion beam sputtering on (1 1 1) gadolinium-gallium garnet substrates, optical glass-ceramic and SiO2 films have been studied. Films were annealed at low pressure in oxygen atmosphere and in the air. The possibility of preparation of crystalline garnet films with high concentration of bismuth on the SiO2 films using a buffer layer with low concentration of Bi has been shown. This allows to produce one-dimensional magneto-photonic crystals with high effective Faraday rotation (several tens of degrees/mu m for the visible optical spectrum). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.