Magneto-optical interference and diffraction in isotropic and uniaxial multilayers

This paper collects the explicit results for linear magneto-optical effects including all interference effects in arbitrary, laterally uniform thin film systems, and also including diffraction effects from an arbitrary three-dimensional magnetization distribution. New contributions are: (1) A convenient representation of the final result in terms of amplitude transfer functions for the primary and the refracted light, making use of previously noticed reciprocity relations. (2) A generalization applicable to systems containing optically uniaxial films with the axis along the him normal (as in most cases of growth- or stress-induced anisotropies). (3) A general formula for the case of ultrathin magnetic layers. (4) A systematic analysis of domain boundary contrast phenomena including the magneto-optical gradient effect. Further applications explore the case of thin film mirror systems and their potential to reach the theoretical optimum magneto-optical signal for a given magneto-optical material. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.