The magneto-optical rotation at room temperature was measured for three Ga:
S:La:O chalcogenide glasses at several laser lines in the visible. The firs
t sample was a binary system constituted by 70 mol % Ga2S3 and 30 mol % La2
O3, whereas in the second and third ones the lanthanum oxide was partially
substituted by lanthanum sulfide, keeping the amount of gallium sulfide fix
ed. A pulsed magnetic field between 50 and 80 kG was used for the Faraday r
otation measurements. The Verdet constant for one of the ternary samples wa
s found to be as high as 0.205 min G(-1) cm(-1) at 543 nm, indicating that
these chalcogenide glasses are very promising for magneto-optical applicati
ons. The data for each sample were fitted using the expected analytical exp
ression for the magneto-optical dispersion. Measurements of the refractive
index of the glasses at 632.8 nm are also reported. Data on the magneto-opt
ical properties of two high Verdet constant, heavy-metal oxide diamagnetic
glasses are also included for comparison. (C) 1999 Society of Photo-Optical
Instrumentation Engineers. [S0091-3286(99)00102-6].