The magneto-optical gradient effect in anexchange-biased thin film: experimental evidencefor classical diffraction theory

0343292 - FZÚ 2011 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Schäfer, R. - Hamann, C. - McCord, J. - Schultz, L. - Kamberský, Vladimír
The magneto-optical gradient effect in anexchange-biased thin film: experimental evidencefor classical diffraction theory.
New Journal of Physics. Roč. 12, č. 5 (2010), 053006/1-053006/10. ISSN 1367-2630. E-ISSN 1367-2630
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521
Keywords : magnetooptics * magnetic domains * light diffraction
Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism
Impact factor: 3.849, year: 2010

The magneto-optical gradient effect decorates the boundaries of inplane domains even at perpendicular incidence of light in an optical polarization microscope. For its explanation, magneto-optical diffraction theory was previously used to derive it from the same gyrotropic interaction as the Kerr effect. In order to explain the symmetry of the observed contrast on bulk ferromagnetic crystals, planar as well as perpendicular subsurface gradients in the magnetization had to be assumed. This was particularly needed when the surface magnetizations in neighboring domains pointed headon and a gradient contrast appeared also in conditions of vanishing gyrotropic interaction at the surface. Such contrast should not appear in very thin films where perpendicular magnetization gradients are not enforced by reduction of dipolar energy. Here we present the first experimental confirmation of this expectation.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0185805