The magneto-optical Kerr effect of trilayer

Abstract

In this paper the magneto-optical polar Kerr rotation spectra of trilayers Fe/Ag/Cu, Fe/Cu/Ag, Fe/Au/Cu, and Fe/Cu/Au were measured and calculated. The experimental results coincided well with the calculated results. It was found that for trilayers Fe/Cu/Ag and Fe/Ag/Cu, with a 100 Å thickness of the top Fe layer, there were two Kerr rotation peaks in their rotational magneto-optical Kerr rotation spectra, located near 320 nm (the plasma edge of Ag) and 560 nm (the absorption edge of Cu). For Fe/Cu/Au and Fe/Au/Cu, with a 100 Å thickness of the top Fe layer, there was only one Kerr rotation peak, which shifts slightly with the intermediate layer thickness. Trilayers Fe/Au/Cu and Fe/Cu/Au with suitable thickness of the top Fe layer are useful at present for magneto-optical storage with a read-out laser of long wavelength; Fe/Ag/Au and Fe/Cu/Ag will be useful in the future for magneto-optical storage with read-out laser of short wavelength.