Magneto-optical phenomena in MnAs/CaF2/Si(111) epitaxial films in a transverse magnetic field

Field and angular dependences of the rotation of the plane of polarization in a transverse magnetic field H⊥k under normal reflection of light (λ=633 nm) have been studied in MnAs ferromagnetic epitaxial films grown by MBE on CaF₂/Si(111) substrates. The angle of rotation of the plane of polarization a is shown to be determined by contributions even and odd in the magnetization M. The odd contribution is associated with the deviation of the easy plane of magnetic anisotropy from the film plane, which originates from misorientation of the Si surface from the (111) plane, or from a presence of small regions of ( )-oriented MnAs. The even contribution is due to the optical anisotropy of films connected with quadratic-in-M terms in the dielectric permittivity tensor ɛ _ij of manganese arsenide. A method based on measuring the angular dependences of a in a rotating magnetic field is proposed to separate these contributions. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 110–115 (January 1999)