Inverse Transverse Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that p-polarized light incident on a ferromagnetic film can generate a static in-plane magnetic field via the inverse transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect, with potential enhancement through plasmonic resonances.

Contribution

It introduces the inverse transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect and quantifies the magnetic field generated by femtosecond laser pulses in nickel, highlighting enhancement via surface plasmon resonances.

Findings

Femtosecond laser pulses generate ~100 Oe magnetic fields in nickel.

Surface plasmon polariton resonance can amplify the effect by over an order of magnitude.

The phenomenon enables optical control of magnetic fields in ferromagnetic films.

Abstract

It is demonstrated that a static in-plane magnetic field is generated in a ferromagnetic film by p-polarised light obliquely incident on the film. This phenomenon can be called inverse transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect. The femtosecond laser pulse of peak intensity of 500 W/{\mu}m2 generates in nickel an effective magnetic field of about 100 Oe. The value of the effective magnetic field can be increased by more than an order of magnitude at the surface plasmon polariton resonance excited in smooth metal dielectric structures or in plasmonic crystals.