Optical and magneto-optical properties of Co/Pt multilayers

Optical and magneto-optical spectral properties have been studied both experimentally and theoretically for a series of Co/Pt multilayers. Diagonal and off-diagonal components of the optical conductivity tensor have been determined in the photon energy range 0.8–5.5 eV from the polar Kerr rotation and ellipticity and the ellipsometry measurements. On the basis of self-consistent spin-polarized relativistic linear muffin-tin orbital band-structure calculations within the local spin-density approximation the conductivity tensor has been evaluated and the role of the spin-orbit interaction and the induced polarization effect at the multilayer interface in the formation of the magneto-optical activity has been studied for various model Co-Pt multilayers and alloys. The relevance of the interface alloying effect for the explanation of the experimental results has been examined and discussed. © 1996 The American Physical Society.