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Limitations of the two-media approach in calculating magneto-optical properties of layered systems

A. Vernes·L. Szunyogh·P. Weinberger
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Abstract

It is shown that in polar geometry and normal incidence the 2x2 matrix technique - as discussed in detail in a preceeding paper [Phys. Rev. B 65, 144448 (2002)] - accounts correctly for multiple reflections and optical interferences, and reduces only in the case of a periodic sequence of identical layers to the Fresnel formula of reflectivity, which in turn is the theoretical basis of the two-media approach, widely used in the literature to compute magneto-optical Kerr spectra. As a numerical example ab-initio calculations of the optical constants for an fcc Pt semi-infinite bulk using the spin-polarized relativistic screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method show very good agreement with experimental data.

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A. Vernes, L. Szunyogh, P. Weinberger. 2002-11-14. Limitations of the two-media approach in calculating magneto-optical properties of layered systems. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.66.214404

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