DICHROIC INTERFERENCE EFFECTS IN CIRCULARLY-POLARIZED SOFT-X-RAY RESONANT MAGNETIC SCATTERING

Dichroic interference effects were observed in circularly polarized so ft-x-ray reflectivity at the Co L2,3 edges of a magnetic multilayer. T he data show a maximum asymmetry ratio of 80%, greater than the degree of circular polarization of the incident light, a changeover in the d ichroic characteristics with increasing grazing angle, and an inverted interference pattern in the angular dependence of the asymmetry ratio . These observations are explained successfully by a classical electro magnetic model calculation which includes the complete polarization st ate of the incident light and spatial interference within the multilay er.