Angular tuning of the magnetic birefringence in rippled cobalt films

We report the measurement of magnetically induced birefringence in rippled Co films. For this purpose, the magneto-optical properties of ion beam eroded ferromagnetic films were studied using Kerr magnetometry and magnetic birefringence in the transmitted light intensity. Upon sufficient ion sculpti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2015-06, Vol.106 (25)
Main Authors: Arranz, Miguel A., Colino, José M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ANISOTROPY
Applied physics
Axes (reference lines)
BEAMS
BIREFRINGENCE
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
COBALT
Dependence
Ferromagnetic films
Ferromagnetic materials
IONS
Luminous intensity
MAGNETIC FIELDS
Magnetic measurement
Magnetic properties
Magnetism
MAGNETIZATION
Magnetization reversal
NANOSTRUCTURES
NUCLEATION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORIENTATION
Tuning
VISIBLE RADIATION
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Summary:We report the measurement of magnetically induced birefringence in rippled Co films. For this purpose, the magneto-optical properties of ion beam eroded ferromagnetic films were studied using Kerr magnetometry and magnetic birefringence in the transmitted light intensity. Upon sufficient ion sculpting, these ripple surface nanostructures developed a defined uniaxial anisotropy in the in-plane magnetization, finely tuning the magnetic birefringence effect. We have studied its dependence on the relative orientation between the ripple direction and the magnetic field, and found this effect to be dramatically correlated with the capability to neatly distinguish the mechanisms for the in-plane magnetization reversal, i.e., rotation and nucleation. This double refraction corresponds univocally to the two magnetization axes, parallel and perpendicular to the ripples direction. We have also observed that tuned birefringence in stack assemblies of rippled Co films, which enables us to technically manipulate the number and direction of refraction axes.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4922807