- Accepted Paper
Enhancing the magneto-optical Kerr effect in noncollinear antiferromagnets via a dielectric layer
Phys. Rev. Applied - Accepted 2 October, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/hl52-ght7
Phys. Rev. Applied - Accepted 2 October, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/hl52-ght7
We report a nearly fourfold enhancement of the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) in thin films of the non-collinear antiferromagnet MnSn achieved through dielectric-layer engineering. While MnSn exhibits a relatively strong Kerr response, further enhancement is crucial in thin-film geometries to improve optical contrast when probing antiferromagnetic domains and switching dynamics. We employ optical modeling based on the transfer-matrix formalism, incorporating experimentally determined refractive indices of MnSn and fitting the complex Voigt parameter . The model predicts that the Kerr signal enhancement increases with the refractive index of the dielectric. Experimentally, we fabricate -plane-oriented MnSn thin films capped with MgO overlayers of varying thickness. Polar MOKE measurements reveal an enhancement of the Kerr rotation by a factor of under optimal interference conditions, in excellent agreement with the modeling. Furthermore, the fitted Voigt parameter serves as a practical descriptor of magneto-optical coupling strength, and these results establish a general interference-based design framework for enhancing magneto-optical readout in unconventional magnetic materials.
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