Magneto-optic ellipsometry characterization of Co and SmCo thin films

Magneto-optic ellipsometry in the longitudinal Kerr configuration was performed to determine the complex permittivity tensor of the Co and SmCo thin films within the spectral range from 400nm to 1000nm. The Co film was a middle layer in an Au/Co/Au trilayer structure. Magneto-optical response was analyzed in terms of Mueller matrix elements. Reduced magneto-optical response of the Co layer is explained by the influence of the gold top layer of the trilayer structure.