Theory of Brillouin cross section for scattering from magnetic multilayers: Second-order magneto-optic effect in Ni/Cu bilayers and trilayers - art. no. 104405

The Brillouin light scattering technique has been exploited to detect spin waves in Ni/Cu bilayers and trilayers deposited by RF sputtering. In order to reproduce the experimental results, a macroscopic partial waves approach is used for the calculation of the normal modes, allowing the application of this model to magnetic multilayered structures. The Brillouin cross sect ion of the multilayer is calculated with the Green's functions method, taki ng into account both first and second order magneto-optic effects (Faraday and Voigt effect, respectively). By measuring Brillouin spectra for differe nt applied fields we have determined the magnetic parameters of the films a s well as the ratio between the first and second order magneto-optic consta nts.