Interference effects in T-MOKE spectra of Fe thin films at the 3p edges - theory and experiment

Abstract

We present combined rst-principle calculations and experimental results of the transversal magneto-optical Kerr e ect (T-MOKE) of thin Fe lms across the 3p edges using linearly polarized synchrotron radiation. We show that the experimental T-MOKE spectra at the 3p edges of Fe exhibit clear signals that are strongly in uenced by interference e ects. Ab initio calculated T-MOKE asymmetry spectra con rm the importance of interference e ects. The comparison of experimental with calculated spectra reveals some di erences that we attribute to metal/metal interface roughness that is not taken into account in the calculations.