Symmetry properties of three-dimensional magnetization distributions induced by focused circularly polarized lights

Abstract

We analyze symmetry properties of the three-dimensional magnetization distribution in the optic-magneto film induced by focused circularly polarized lights. The magnetization distributions are derived and evaluated based on the vector diffraction theory and the inverse Faraday effect of the isotropic and nonmagnetically ordered material. It is shown that for any radial symmetrical amplitude, phase, or hybrid amplitude-phase pupil filter, the magnetization distribution of the axial component is circular symmetric but those of the radial and azimuthal components are annular symmetric with regard to the optical axis. All of the three components have a symmetric distribution with regard to the focal plane. The direction of both axial and radial components can be inversed with the helicity of incident circularly polarized light but the direction of azimuthal component is independent of helicity. The axial component has a decisive effect to all-optical magnetic recording, and within the effective axial range, the size of its magnetization domain hardly expands in the transverse direction.