The effect of FeF2 on the magneto-optic response in FeF2/Fe/FeF2 sandwiches

Abstract

The room temperature optical constants n and k of MBE grown FeF2 films are reported. Because of poor chemical stability, FeF2 had to be coated with a protective Au layer. Reflection spectral ellipsometry in the photon energy range between 1.3 and 5.2 eV was performed on structures with a typical profile Au(0.5 nm)/FeF2(120 nm)/Au(30 nm)/Ag(20 nm)/Fe(0.6 nm) grown on GaAs(0 0 1) substrate. The spectra of n and k in FeF2 were subsequently employed in the design of FeF2/Fe/FeF2 sandwiches considered as magneto-optic (MO) sensors for weak microwave currents. Their MO response was evaluated using reflection MO (Kerr) spectroscopy at polar magnetization. The present results may be of interest in MO studies of magnetic nanostructures with Fe/FeF2/Fe, including MO magnetometry and MO magnetic domain imaging.