Optimized factor of merit of the magneto-optical Kerr effect of ferromagnetic thin films

This paper deals with the optimization of the factor of merit of the magneto-optical Kerr effect of a resonant multilayer cavity including a ferromagnetic film. This optimization is of interest in the context of optical storage technology. Using numerical simulations based on the Green's dyadic technique, we discuss a route to obtain magneto-optical multilayers with a vanishing ellipticity and factors of merit (with respect to the bulk magnetic material) larger than 3 on a broad range of wavelengths, significantly higher than the actual state of the art. Received 21 May 1999     

PtMn/Co多层膜的磁光特性研究

采用磁控溅射法制备了一系列的Mn掺杂的PtMn/Co多层膜.通过测量得到的磁光常数和光学常 数,计算介电张量的对角元和非对角元,得到在掺杂较大时,克尔角的变化是由于介电张量 的非对角元引起的;在掺杂量较小时,克尔角的变化是由介电张量的对角元和非对角元以及 光学常数的变化引起的.     

磁光克尔效应中的光子自旋分裂

光子自旋霍尔效应类似于电子系统中的电子自旋霍尔效应, 是在折射率梯度和光子分别扮演的外场和自旋电子的角色下, 由自旋-轨道相互作用而产生的光子自旋分裂现象. 光子自旋霍尔效应为操控光子提供了新的途径, 同时也提供了一种精确测量相关物理效应的方法. 本文研究了磁光克尔效应中光子自旋分裂现象, 建立了磁光克尔旋转与光子自旋霍尔效应之间的定量关系, 并通过弱测量系统观测了磁场作用下铁膜表面的光子自旋分裂位移, 得到相应的磁光旋转角, 验证了我们所推导的理论预测. 本文的研究成果为精确测量磁光克尔系数和磁光克尔旋转角提供了一种新方法.     

Effect of CoSi2 buffer layer on structure and magnetic properties of Co films grown on Si（001） substrate

Buffer layer provides an opportunity to enhance the quality of ultrathin magnetic films.In this paper,Co films with different thickness of Co Si2buffer layers were grown on Si(001)substrates.In order to investigate morphology,structure,and magnetic properties of films,scanning tunneling microscope(STM),low energy electron diffraction(LEED),high resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM),and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect(SMOKE)were used.The results show that the crystal quality and magnetic anisotropies of the Co films are strongly affected by the thickness of Co Si2buffer layers.Few Co Si2monolayers can prevent the interdiffusion of Si substrate and Co film and enhance the Co film quality.Furthermore,the in-plane magnetic anisotropy of Co film with optimal buffer layer shows four-fold symmetry and exhibits the two-jumps of magnetization reversal process,which is the typical phenomenon in cubic(001)films.     

MnBi磁性多层膜磁光科尔效应的数值模拟

基于各向异性的平面电磁波传输理论和4×4矩阵法，计算了MnBi，Mn_0.53Bi_0.47，Mn_0.52Bi_0.44Sb_0.04磁性多层膜系列的磁光科尔旋转角、椭圆率随波长、入射角、磁性层厚度变化曲线.计算结果表明，模拟的科尔旋转角、椭圆率随波长变化规律与实验结果吻合很好；在一定波长的垂直入射下，模拟的科尔旋转角、椭圆率随磁性层厚度变化曲线出现科尔谱极大；在磁性层厚度一定的情况下，当入射光以某一角度 关键词： 4×4矩阵法 磁性多层膜 磁光科尔谱 介电张量     

Nongyrotropic magneto-optical effects in metal-insulator magnetic multilayer thin films

Nongyrotropic magneto-optical effects are investigated in metal-insulator magnetic multilayer thin films. These effects manifest themselves in changes in the coefficients of transmission and reflection of electromagnetic radiation from the surface of a multilayer film due to the crossover of the magnetic structure from an antiferromagnetic configuration to a ferromagnetic configuration. The nongyrotropic magneto-optical effect observed in reflected light is analyzed theoretically. It is assumed that the multilayer structure is exposed to radiation of a monochromatic plane wave polarized along the direction of magnetization of the film. The magneto-optical effect is described in terms of the permittivity tensor of the multilayer medium, which depends only on the light frequency. The Boltzmann kinetic equation is treated with allowance made for spin-dependent electron scattering both inside conducting layers and at rough interfaces. Using an Fe/C multilayer as an example, it is demonstrated that the nongyrotropic magneto-optical effect is equal in order of magnitude to the equatorial Kerr effect or other strong magneto-optical effects.     

The extended magneto optic method to explore the Longitude Magneto Optic Kerr effect of the ultrathin magnetic film grown on optic uniaxial substrate

A general method to solve the Magneto optic effect of the multilayer ultrathin films grown on the optic uniaxial crystal substrate has been developed by using a new boundary matrix. Based on this method, we can apply the magneto optic to any magnetic ultrathin film grown on uniaxial substrate as long as we choose a proper coordinate system. The formula for longitude Magneto Optical Kerr effect is derived to find out the influence of the optic properties of the uniaxial crystal on the magneto optic characteristics of multilayer system. A numerical simulation was carried out to find out the relation between Kerr rotation and optic properties of substrate. The result can be used to select the best suitable substrate on which the sample grown.     

Depth dependence of Néel wall pinning on amorphous CoxSi1−x films with diluted arrays of elliptical antidots

Diluted arrays of elliptical antidots have been fabricated by optical lithography, electron beam lithography and plasma etching on amorphous Co₇₄Si₂₆ magnetic films with a well-defined uniaxial anisotropy. The magnetic behavior of two identical antidot arrays but with different hole depth in comparison with film thickness has been studied by transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect. Significant differences appear in the coercivity depending on whether the magnetic film is completely perforated or not, indicating a much more effective domain wall pinning process when the depth of the holes is smaller than the magnetic film thickness.     

C掺杂FePt铁磁薄膜光诱导超快退磁动力学研究

FePt合金薄膜由于具有较强的磁各向异性而在磁信息和磁光信息存储中具有重要的应用.C掺杂可精确调控薄膜的磁各向异性,从而可有效地改变薄膜的矫顽场.通过超短激光脉冲与铁磁薄膜相互作用,可以获得非平衡状态下电子、自旋和晶格等自由度之间的动态耦合参数,这是研究超快磁记录材料的物理基础.本文基于瞬态磁光Kerr效应,研究了两种C掺杂浓度下FePt薄膜的超快磁光响应.实验结果表明:瞬态Kerr信号与外加磁场正相关,磁场反向,Kerr信号反号,而瞬态反射率与外加磁场无关;不同C掺杂的FePt薄膜的矫顽场不同,软磁的退磁时间显著小于硬磁薄膜的退磁时间.我们还观测到超快激光在铁磁薄膜中诱导频率约为49 GHz的相干声学声子,该声子的频率与外加磁场无关.实验结果为设计和研制新型磁光薄膜提供了实验依据.     

Optical and magneto-optical properties of MBE grown Co/Au multilayers

The optical and magneto-optical properties of Co/Au multilayers, grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), have been examined in the wavelength range 300 to 900 nm using ellipsometry and normal incidence Kerr polarimetry. The dispersion of fundamental optical and magneto-optical constants and the complex Kerr rotation are discussed in terms of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with a multilayered structure. This is done on the basis of a single equivalent layer approach for dealing with multilayered media using values for the optical constants of cobalt and gold measured on single films of these materials grown by MBE. It is suggested that a restriction of the mean free path of the conduction electrons in the gold layers, of the order of the individual sub-layer thickness, accounts for some aspects of the observed optical spectra.     

Fe-Ag颗粒膜的光学与磁光尺寸效应

采用离子束共溅射的方法分别制备了一系列Fe_xAg_1-x(x=18,45,81)颗粒膜样品,经1h真空退火,通过X射线衍射和光学及磁光测量,研究了它们在不同退火温度下的结构和磁光性质.结果表明其磁光效应与颗粒尺寸密切相关. 关键词： 颗粒膜 磁光效应 尺寸效应     

Magneto-optical recording on the multilayers systems with plasmon excitation

The maximization of the sensitivity of magneto-optical recording media in the short wavelength region is discussed. We show that a combination of the optimized thickness of dielectric and Ag (or CoAg) films can increase the magneto-optic Kerr effect in FeTbCo media by about five times of magnitude in the UV and blue spectral range. It has been shown that the local plasmon excited in the Ag-based films strongly enhances the magneto-optical properties in amorphous FeTbCo magnetic film. The Kerr rotation spectra get the maxima values for the resonance conditions when the local plasmon can be excited in the Ag or CoAg films.     

Interrelation between optical and magneto-optical properties of MnSbBi(Pt,Co) films

Results of the study of optical and magneto-optical properties of MnSbBi(Pt, Co) films in a spectral region of 360–820 nm are reported. It is shown that the multilayer MnSbBi(Pt, Co) films obtained by magnetron sputtering possess considerable optical rotation in the geometry of the polar Kerr effect, which is as large as 0.5°–0.7° upon 5-h annealing of the films at 350°C. The spectral dependences measured for the magnitude of the polar Kerr effect showed that these films may be used for laser data recording in the short-wavelength spectral region, which substantially increases the recording density. Studies of the film structure by X-ray and electron diffraction analysis showed that the films have a polycrystalline structure, with granules 15–40 nm in size. Possible causes of a large magnitude of Kerr effect are analyzed.     

Influence of V and Mo overlayer on magneto-optical Kerr effect in ultrathin Co films

A method for characterization of sub-nanometer thick Co/V and Co/Mo interfaces is proposed that uses magneto-optical ellipsometry. Both the polar Kerr rotation and ellipticity are fitted simultaneously to different models of interface layer. The magneto-optical data are measured for varying thicknesses of the cobalt layer and overlayer by scanning of a laser beam over the samples with two orthogonal wedges. Decrease of magneto-optical effect at both interfaces Co/V and Co/Mo were observed, which corresponds to interface layers of thicknesses ranging from one to two monoatomic layers. In the case of vanadium, the interface layer is sharper and can be explained either by reduced magnetic moment of cobalt, or by anti-parallel magnetic moment of vanadium near the Co/V interface.     

Cavity enhancement of the magneto-optic Kerr effect in glass/Al/SnO2/PtMnSb/SnO2 structure

The cavity enhancement effect of the transparent semiconductor SnO₂ on the magneto-optical Kerr response of the glass/Al/SnO₂/PtMnSb/SnO₂ multilayer structure has been investigated using a matrix method. It has been demonstrated that device optimization leads to large Kerr rotation and figure of merit (FOM) with a vanishing ellipticity in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, especially at short wavelengths. This optimization is of interest in view of optical data storage technology. Using numerical simulations, we have also shown that in the optimum condition, the device readout parameters behave smoothly against the design variables.     

反射型磁光多层膜隔离器工作稳定性的研究

与单纯的磁光晶体相比,由磁光介质与电介质周期性或准周期性排列构成的一维磁光光子晶 体能够显著增强磁光效应,可以用于实现小尺度的磁光隔离器,从而大大减小器件的尺寸. 给出更为一般的可用于求解斜入射情况下偏振光在各向异性介质中传播时的传输矩阵方法, 并用这种方法在波长为1053μm处,针对两种“三明治”型的反射磁光多层膜隔离器的 结构,具体讨论了器件应用时入射角度及工艺制作时膜层制备厚度对它们工作稳定性的影响 .发现中心磁光介质夹层较厚的结构具有膜层数目少、工作稳定性好的优点. 关键词： 光隔离器 磁光效应 一维光子晶体     

The subwavelength tuned magneto-optical Kerr effect in L1_0-FePt films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

For L10-FePt films with strong perpendicular anisotropy covered by arrays of hexagonal close-packed polystyrene spheres(PSSs),fine structures are observed in magneto-optical Kerr rotation spectra in the visible spectral range.The reflection minima are found to be located at the same wavelengths as the Kerr rotation peaks.The Kerr rotation enhancement is attributed to the excitation of both the surface plasmon polariton in the dielectric PSS/metal interface and the guide waves(guide mode)in the PSS array.The two-dimensional PSSs/SiO2/FePt system exhibiting a tunable magneto-optical Kerr effect and a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy will be helpful for designing and fabricating magneto-optics devices.     

Structure and the magnetic and magneto-optical properties of Co-Sm-O nanogranular films

The magnetic properties and magneto-optical effects in nanocomposites based on Co-Sm-O films prepared through pulsed plasma sputtering of a SmCo₅ target are investigated. It is shown that, depending on the technological conditions and regimes of subsequent annealing, the films can have different structures from cobalt nanoparticles distributed in the dielectric samarium oxide matrix with a magnetic phase volume of more than 60% to a continuous polycrystalline cobalt film with embedded samarium oxide nanoparticles. The evolution of the spectra of the magneto-optical Kerr effect and the field dependences of the magnetization is studied as a function of the film structure.     

Frozen low-spin interface in ultrathin Fe films on Cu(111)

In ultrathin film systems, it is a major challenge to understand how a thickness-driven phase transition proceeds along the cross-sectional direction of the films. We use ultrathin Fe films on Cu(111) as a prototype system to demonstrate how to obtain such information using an in situ scanning tunneling microscope and the surface magneto-optical Kerr effect. The magnetization depth profile of a thickness-driven low-spin to high-spin magnetic phase transition is deduced from the experimental data, which leads us to conclude that a low-spin Fe layer at the Fe/Cu interface stays live upon the phase transition. The magnetically live low-spin phase is believed to be induced by a frozen fcc Fe layer that survives a thickness-driven fcc-->bcc structural transition.     

Growth-induced magnetic anisotropy behavior in thin garnet films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

The effect of target rotation rate on the magneto-optical properties and induced magnetic anisotropy of pulse laser deposition grown Bi:YIG garnets has been investigated. The rotation rate dependence of magnetic properties of thin films has been studied using magneto-optical Faraday rotation combined with magneto-optical Kerr measurement setup. Our results show that decreasing the target rotation rate can also increase the polar coercive field and hence magnetic anisotropy. Also the spectral answer of samples show the capability of use of them in one off optical ranges such as visible, near infrared and far infrared regions.