Observation of the Inverse Cotton-Mouton Effect

TL;DR

This paper reports the first observation of the Inverse Cotton-Mouton Effect in a TGG crystal, demonstrating light-induced magnetization influenced by magnetic fields, with potential applications in optical devices.

Contribution

First experimental observation and detailed analysis of the Inverse Cotton-Mouton Effect in a TGG crystal, including its dependence on light and magnetic parameters.

Findings

ICME observed in TGG crystal under specific conditions

Relation established between Cotton-Mouton and ICME effects

Potential for using ICME in optical device applications

Abstract

We report the observation of the Inverse Cotton-Mouton Effect (ICME) i.e. a magnetization induced in a medium by non resonant linearly polarized light propagating in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. We present a detailed study of the ICME in a TGG crystal showing the dependence of the measured effect on the light intensity, the optical polarization, and on the external magnetic field. We derive a relation between the Cotton-Mouton and Inverse Cotton-Mouton effects that is roughly in agreement with existing experimental data. Our results open the way to applications of the ICME in optical devices.