OPTICAL AND MAGNETOOPTICAL 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. D iagonal and off-diagonal components of the optical conductivity tensor have been determined in the photon energy range 0.8-5.5 eV from the p olar Kerr rotation and ellipticity and the ellipsometry measurements. On the basis of self-consistent spin-polarized relativistic linear muf fin-tin orbital band-structure calculations within the local spin-dens ity approximation the conductivity tensor has been evaluated and the r ole of the spin-orbit interaction and the induced polarization effect at the multilayer interface in the formation of the magneto-optical ac tivity has been studied for various model Co-Pt multilayers and alloys . The relevance of the interface alloying effect for the explanation o f the experimental results has been examined and discussed.