Studies on the relation between the eigenvalue and enhancement of Kerr effect for magneto-optical materials

Abstract

Based on the universal additivity law of the interference of light the following was achieved. (i) An analytic representation between the eigenvalue of the Kerr rotation angle θ0k and the enhanced θk for a double-layered film, θk=en1 θ0k, was obtained theoretically, where e is the enhancement factor and n1 is the refractive index of the dielectric medium. (ii) An analytic representation between θk and θ0k (θk=e013e123n2θ0k) of the trilayered film [bilayered transparent media and monolayered magneto-optical (MO) medium], was also obtained, where e013 and e123 are the enhancement factors: The calculated θk value is in good agreement with experimental results for e=1. In general, the theoretical calculation shows that θk is related to the thickness of the transparent media. Thus, if one wants to get an optimum value for θk, the thickness of the first transparent film layer (such as a glass substrate) must be selected carefully. It also shows that if the variation of the thickness of the glass substrate is 5 nm, θk could vary by 0.1° for MnBiCe films. (iii) The relation connecting θk with θ0k1 and θ0k2 for bilayered MO films has been theoretically studied, where θ0k1 and θ0k2 are the eigenvalues of the Kerr rotation angle of MO materials 1 and 2, respectively. Finally, θk for a Fe/Co film was calculated.