Asymmetric nonlinear magneto-optic effects in PtMnSb thin films

Nonlinear magneto-optic measurements on thin films of PtMnSb exhibit asymme tric behavior in both the transverse and longitudinal Kerr configurations. Second harmonic generation under magnetization reversal is asymmetric about the state of zero magnetization with the degree of asymmetry dependent on the angle of incidence. The origin of the asymmetry arises from simultaneou s detection of even (proportional to M-2) and odd (proportional to M) magne to-optic effects. In principle such effects exist in both the optical linea r and nonlinear regimes but in most materials even effects are very small a nd only observed in specific experimental arrangements where the linear eff ects in M vanish (such as the Voigt configuration). This is not the case wi th PtMnSb in which the band structure produces total polarization of the ma jority and minority spin carriers giving rise to unusually strong magneto-o ptic interactions. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)4 4411-6].