Giant magneto-optical anisotropy in Fe/Au monoatomic multilayer

• Published in: Solid state communications 2000-04, Vol.114 (8), p.441-445
• Main Authors: Uba, L., Uba, S., Antonov, V.N., Yaresko, A.N., Perlov, A.Ya, Ślęzak, T., Korecki, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A. Magnetic films and multilayers; Applied sciences; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; D. Electronic band structure; D. Optical properties; D. Spin–orbit effects; Exact sciences and technology; Interfacial magnetic properties (multilayers, magnetic quantum wells, superlattices, magnetic heterostructures); Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Magnetooptical effects; Metals and metallic alloys; Metals. Metallurgy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Optical properties of specific thin films; Physics
• ISSN: 0038-1098; 1879-2766
• DOI: 10.1016/S0038-1098(00)00080-6

A giant magneto-optical anisotropy (MOA) in a magnetic monoatomic Fe/Au multilayer structure is reported. The dependence of the off-diagonal part of the optical conductivity tensor on the angle between the magnetization and crystallographic axes is evidenced by measurements of both the polar and longitudinal Kerr effects. The microscopic origin of the MOA is elucidated on the basis of the first principles’ band-structure calculations. A relationship of the MOA with the predicted strong anisotropy of Fe d orbital magnetic moment and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy is discussed.