OPTICAL AND MAGNETOOPTICAL PROPERTIES OF CO(001) GE/CO SANDWICHES/

A series of bcc-Co(001)/Ge/Co trilayers was grown on a GaAs(001) subst rate by the molecular beam epitaxy technique. The optical and magneto- optical properties of the samples were studied. An oscillatory variati on of the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) with the thickness of the Ge spacers was observed. We conclude that the effective optical const ants as well as the real and imaginary off-diagonal element of the die lectric tensor should be considered in explanation of the MOKE activit ies since both have a large influence on the MOKE oscillations. Moreov er, the coercivity and magnetization also oscillate with the Ge layer thickness. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.