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At least 19 records

Kerr effective black hole geometries in supergravity

We derive the explicit embedding of the effective Kerr spacetimes, which are pertinent to the vanishing of static Love numbers, soft hair descriptions of Kerr black holes, and low-frequency scalar-Kerr scattering amplitudes, as solutions within 𝑁 = 2 supergravity. These spacetimes exhibit a hidden 𝑆⁢𝐿⁡(2,𝑅) × 𝑈⁡(1) or 𝑆⁢𝑂⁡(4,2) symmetry resembling the so called subtracted geometries with 𝑆⁢𝐿⁡(2,𝑅) × 𝑆⁢𝐿⁡(2,𝑅) symmetry, which accurately represent the near-horizon geometry of Kerr black holes and, as we will argue most accurately represents the internal structure of the Kerr black hole. To quantify the differences among the effective Kerr spacetimes, we compare their physical quantities, internal structures, and geodesic equations. Although their thermodynamic properties, including entropy, match those of Kerr, our study uncovers significant differences in the interiors of these effective Kerr solutions. A careful examination of the internal structure of the spacetimes highlights the distinctions between various effective Kerr geometries and their quasinormal spectra.

quantum aspects of black holes↗

Comparing the anomalous Hall effect and the magneto-optical Kerr effect through antiferromagnetic phase transitions in Mn 3 Sn

In the non-collinear antiferromagnet Mn 3 Sn, we compare simultaneous measurements of the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) through two magnetic phase transitions: the high-temperature paramagnetic/antiferromagnetic (AF) phase transition at the Néel temperature ( T N ≈ 420 K) and a lower-temperature incommensurate magnetic ordering at T 1 ≈ 270 K. While both the AHE and MOKE are sensitive to the same underlying symmetries of the AF non-collinear spin order, we find that the transition temperatures measured by these two techniques unexpectedly differ by approximately 10 K. Moreover, the applied magnetic field at which the AF order reverses is significantly larger when measured by MOKE than when measured by AHE. Furthermore these results point to a difference between the bulk and surface magnetic properties of Mn 3 Sn.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The ultrafast Kerr effect in anisotropic and dispersive media

The ultrafast optical Kerr effect (OKE) is widely used to investigate the structural dynamics and interactions of liquids, solutions, and solids by observing their intrinsic nonlinear temporal responses through nearly collinear four-wave mixing. Non-degenerate mixing schemes allow for background free detection and can provide information on the interplay between a material’s internal degrees of freedom. Here, we show a source of temporal dynamics in the OKE signal that is not reflective of the internal degrees of freedom but arises from a group index and momentum mismatch. It is observed in two-color experiments on condensed media with sizable spectral dispersion, a common property near an optical resonance. In particular, birefringence in crystalline solids is able to entirely change the character of the OKE signal via the off-diagonal tensor elements of the nonlinear susceptibility. We develop a detailed description of the phase-mismatched ultrafast OKE and show how to extract quantitative information on the spectrally resolved birefringence and group index from time-resolved experiments in one and two dimensions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High Resolution Polar Kerr Effect Studies of CsV 3 Sb 5 : Tests for Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking below the Charge-Order Transition

We report high resolution polar Kerr effect measurements on CsV 3 Sb 5 single crystals in search for signatures of spontaneous time reversal symmetry breaking below the charge order transition at T * = 94 K. Utilizing two different versions of zero-area loop Sagnac interferometers operating at 1550 nm wavelength, each with the fundamental attribute that without a time reversal symmetry breaking sample at its path, the interferometer is perfectly reciprocal, we find no observable Kerr effect to within the noise floor limit of the apparatus at 30 nanoradians. Simultaneous coherent reflection ratio measurements confirm the sharpness of the charge order transition in the same optical volume as the Kerr measurements. At finite magnetic field we observe a sharp onset of a diamagnetic shift in the Kerr signal at T *, which persists down to the lowest temperature without change in trend. Since 1550 nm is an energy that was shown to capture all features of the optical properties of the material that interact with the charge order transition, we are led to conclude that it is highly unlikely that time reversal symmetry is broken in the charge ordered state in CsV 3 Sb 5 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Magneto-optical Kerr effect in an A-type antiferromagnet

Magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) is a powerful probe of broken time-reversal symmetry (T$${{\mathcal{T}}}$$), typically used to study ferromagnets. While MOKE has been observed in some antiferromagnets (AFMs) with vanishing magnetization, it is often associated with structures whose symmetry is lower than basic collinear, bipartite order. In contrast, theory predicts a mechanism for MOKE intrinsic to all AFMs of A-type, i.e. layered AFMs in which ferromagnetic layers are antiferromagnetically aligned. Here we report the experimental confirmation of this mechanism in a bulk AFM. We achieve this by measuring the imaginary component of MOKE as a function of photon energy in MnBi2Te4, an A-type AFM where T$${{\mathcal{T}}}$$ is preserved in combination with a translation, and comparing the experimental results with model calculations. Our model suggests that observable MOKE should be expected in all collinear A-type AFMs with out-of-plane spin order, thus enabling optical detection of AFM domains and expanding the scope of MOKE to few-layer AFMs.

Sunko, Veronika↗

Theory of optical axion electrodynamics and application to the Kerr effect in topological antiferromagnets

Abstract Emergent axion electrodynamics in magneto-electric media is expected to provide novel ways to detect and control material properties with electromagnetic fields. However, despite being studied intensively for over a decade, its theoretical understanding remains mostly confined to the static limit. Here, we introduce a theory of axion electrodynamics at general frequencies. We define a proper optical axion magneto-electric coupling through its relation to optical surface Hall conductivity and provide ways to calculate it in lattice systems. By employing our formulas, we show that axion electrodynamics can lead to a significant Kerr effect in thin-film antiferromagnets at wavelengths that are seemingly too long to resolve the spatial modulation of magnetism. We identify the wavelength scale above which the Kerr effect is suppressed. Our theory is particularly relevant to materials like MnBi 2 Te 4 , a topological antiferromagnet whose magneto-electric response is shown here to be dominated by the axion contribution even at optical frequencies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Demonstration of the DC-Kerr effect in silicon-rich nitride

We demonstrate the DC-Kerr effect in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon-rich nitride (SRN) and use it to demonstrate a third order nonlinear susceptibility, χ (3) , as high as (6 ± 0.58) × 10 -19 m 2 /V 2 . We employ spectral shift versus applied voltage measurements in a racetrack resonator as a tool to characterize the nonlinear susceptibilities of these films. In doing so, we demonstrate a χ (3) larger than that of silicon and argue that PECVD SRN can provide a versatile platform for employing optical phase shifters while maintaining a low thermal budget using a deposition technique readily available in CMOS process flows.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Topological magneto-optical Kerr effect without spin-orbit coupling in spin-compensated antiferromagnet

The magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE), the differential reflection of oppositely circularly polarized light, has traditionally been associated with relativistic spin-orbit coupling (SOC), which links a particle’s spin with its orbital motion. In ferromagnets, large MOKE signals arise from the combination of magnetization and SOC, while in certain coplanar antiferromagnets, SOC-induced Berry curvature enables MOKE despite zero net magnetization. Theoretically, large MOKE can also arise in a broader class of magnetic materials with compensated spins, without relying on SOC - for example, in systems exhibiting real-space scalar spin chirality. The experimental verification has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate such a SOC- and magnetization-free MOKE in the noncoplanar antiferromagnet Co 1/3 TaS 2 . Using a Sagnac interferometer microscope, we image domains of scalar spin chirality and their reversal. Our findings establish experimentally a new mechanism for generating large MOKE signals and position chiral spin textures in compensated magnets as a compelling platform for ultrafast, stray-field-immune opto-spintronic applications.

Magnetic properties and materials↗

Vector-Resolved Magnetooptic Kerr Effect Measurements of Spin–Orbit Torque

We demonstrate simultaneous detection of current-driven dampinglike and fieldlike spin-orbit torques in heavy metal/ferromagnetic metal bilayers by measuring all three magnetization components m x , m y and m z using a vector-resolved magnetooptic Kerr effect (MOKE) technique based on quadrant detection. Here, we investigate the magnitude and direction of spin-orbit torques in a series of platinum/permalloy samples, finding good agreement with results obtained via polar and quadratic MOKE measurements without quadrant detection

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Decoding ultrafast polarization responses in lead halide perovskites by the two-dimensional optical Kerr effect

Significance Optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaics or light-emitting diodes, are based on the interaction of light with charges in the active material. Lead halide perovskites (LHPs) have emerged as excellent materials for optoelectronics, but mysteries remain as to how these materials interact with light. Here, we develop a spectroscopic method to observe the nearly instantaneous responses of LHPs to propagating light fields. This method has allowed us to precisely trace a nonlinear material response resulting from the mixing of different light components overtaking each other during propagation. The resulting oscillatory signals could be easily confused with collective motions of ions or molecules, but are quantitatively accounted by strong nonlinear mixing and polarization-dressed light propagation in single-crystal LHPs.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Giant magneto-optical Kerr enhancement from films on SiC due to the optical properties of the substrate

We report a giant enhancement of the midinfrared magneto-optical complex Kerr angle (polarization change of reflected light) in a variety of materials grown on SiC. In epitaxially grown multilayer graphene, the Kerr angle is enhanced by a factor of 68, which is in good agreement with Kerr signal modeling. Strong Kerr enhancement is also observed in Fe films grown on SiC and Al-doped bulk SiC. Our experiments and modeling indicate that the enhancement occurs at the high-energy edge of the SiC reststrahlen band where the real component of the complex refractive index n˜ passes through unity. Furthermore, since the signal is greatly enhanced when n˜ = 1, the enhancement is predicted to exist over the entire visible and IR spectrum for a free-standing film. We also predict similar giant enhancement in both Faraday (transmission) and Kerr rotation for thin films on a metamaterial substrate with refractive index n˜ = –1. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates that the substrate used in magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) measurements must be carefully chosen when investigating magneto-optical materials with weak MOKE signals or when designing MOKE-based optoelectronic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Optical and Magneto-Optical Properties of Multilayer Nanosized [Co/TiO{sub 2}]{sub n} Films

Abstract—The optical and magneto-optical properties of the metal–dielectric multilayer [Co/TiO{sub 2}]{sub n} structures with 2–4-nm-thick layers prepared on a silicon substrate Si(001) by ion-beam deposition have been studied. The complex permittivity of multilayer [Co/TiO{sub 2}]{sub n} structures has been measured by the optical ellipsometry technique in the spectral range of 0.6–5.6 eV and analyzed using the optical reflection matrices for isotropic multilayer dielectric structures taking into account the optical losses and also using the method of anisotropic effective medium. The magneto-optical Kerr effect has been measured by the polarimetric technique in the spectral range of 1.2–4.5 eV in the polar and longitudinal geometries. The magnetic anisotropy type is determined on the base of the field dependences of the magneto-optical Kerr effect. It is found that the nanosized [Co/TiO{sub 2}]{sub n} structures can be considered as artificial optically uniaxial media with a strong magnetic and optical anisotropy at room temperature.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Phase Separation in (Ga,Mn)As Layers Obtained by Ion Implantation and Subsequent Laser Annealing

In this paper, we present the results of studies of the spectral, temperature, and field dependences of the transversal Kerr effect in Ga{sub 1 –} {sub x}Mn{sub x}As (x = 0.0066–0.033) layers produced by ion implantation and subsequent pulsed laser annealing. The complicated nonmonotonous nature of the temperature dependences of the transversal Kerr effect and its dependence on the measurement range indicate a magnetic inhomogeneity of the layers. The reasons for the inhomogeneity can be the Gaussian distribution of Mn over the thickness of the layers and the electron phase separation in them. The appearance of new features in the spectra of the transversal Kerr effect is explained by the presence in the doped semiconductor matrix of nanoregions with a higher carrier concentration and a higher Curie temperature and a shift of the Fermi level into the valence band leading to an increase in the energy of optical transitions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Linear and Nonlinear Magneto-optical Phenomena in Epitaxial Films of Europium Chalcogenides EuX (X = O, Se, Te)

The studies of magneto-optical effects in epitaxial films of magnetic semiconductors—europium chalcogenides EuX (X = O, Se, Te) are presented: linear and quadratic magneto-optical Kerr effects, photo-induced Faraday effect, magnetically-induced optical second and third harmonics generation, the inverse Faraday effect, and the phenomenon of optical orientation. A large quadratic magneto-optical Kerr effect was found in EuO and (Eu, Gd)O films. Photo-induced spin polarons with a huge value of the magnetic moment were studied in europium chalcogenides EuTe and EuSe using the optical pump-probe technique. In the same materials, a new type of nonlinear magneto-optical susceptibility, which is responsible for the optical second harmonic generation and associated with the magnetic ordering of the spins of Eu{sup 2+} ions, is revealed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Low-temperature MnBi alloys: Electronic and magnetic properties, constitution, morphology and fabrication (Review article)

The article reviews the rich phenomena of physical properties of MnBi. The diverse phenomena include strong spin-orbit interaction, anomalous temperature dependence of the coercivity and the magneto-crystalline anisotropy field, unique magneto-optical properties. Issues addressed include the nature of the electronic ground states of MnBi, the electronic and magnetic structures, Fermi surface, magneto-crystalline anisotropy, x-ray magnetic dichroism. The discussion includes key experiments, such as optical and magneto-optical spectroscopic measurements, de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) measurements, x-ray photoemission and x-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements as well as x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The effect of the spin-orbit (SO) interaction and Coulomb repulsion U were found to be crucial for the Fermi surface, cyclotron masses, magneto-optical properties, and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The microscopic origin of unique magneto-crystalline anisotropy and giant Kerr effect in MnBi is analyzed in detail. The huge Kerr effect in MnBi is caused by the combination of a sizable magnetic moment on manganese, the large spin-orbit coupling of bismuth, and a strong hybridization between the manganese 3d and the bismuth 6p states. The magneto-optically active states are mainly the 6p states of Bi. We show that the observed temperature dependence of the magneto-crystalline anisotropy can be explained taking into account the spin-orbit interaction together with strong Coulomb electron-electron interaction. The SO coupling of Bi is equally responsible for the large magneto-crystalline anisotropy energy as is the exchange splitting of Mn. The fabrication, morphology, and constitution of low-temperature MnBi alloys in bulk, thin films, and nanoparticles are discussed. The nanocomposite permanent magnetic materials based on MnBi, (Co, Fe) and Nd 2 Fe 14 B are also discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Thermalization of the Kerr index of refraction in acetone and methanol using femtosecond pump-probe scattering spectroscopy

Femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe scattering is used to temporally investigate the index thermalization Δn(t) of the molecular motions associated with the Kerr nonlinear index n 2 . This is done using an intense 300 fs 1034 nm pump pulse and temporally probed by a 517 nm and supercontinuum pulse in acetone and methanol. The optically pumped molecular states change the index of refraction and through the processes of Raman and Rayleigh scattering are shown to engage in a 4-step energy relaxation process. Here, the pump first initiates the Kerr effect as well as populate resonant vibrational molecular motions, which act as a “mother” energy state. The electronic component of the Kerr effect is shown to couple with these vibrational modes through the process of Born-Oppenheimer coupling, which can be measured through the Raman scattering of the probe. The “mother” coupled state then decays into “daughter” anharmonic non-resonant states, which then further decay into “granddaughter” and thermal bath states. The population of these states alter the index of refraction in time, Δn(t), and can be measured through the changing in the probe beam’s Rayleigh scattering. This thermalization process takes ~5.5 ps in acetone and ~3.7 ps in methanol. The scattering signals from each Δn(t) thermalization stage in the localized region, (“mother”, to “daughter”, to “granddaughter”, to the bath states, to the ground state), are fitted to theoretical decay equations that show the rise and fall times of the energy decay routes.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Effect of Cr Spacer on Structural and Magnetic Properties of Fe/Gd Multilayers

Here, we analyze the role of a thin Cr spacer between Fe and Gd layers on the structure and magnetic properties of a [Fe(35 Å)/Cr(t Cr )/Gd(50 Å)/Cr(t Cr )] 12 superlattice. Samples without the Cr spacer (t Cr = 0) and with a thin spacer (t Cr = 4 Å) are investigated using X-ray diffraction, polarized neutron and resonance X-ray magnetic reflectometry, static magnetometry, magneto-optical Kerr effect, and ferromagnetic resonance techniques. Magnetic properties are studied experimentally in a wide temperature range 4–300 K and analyzed theoretically using numerical simulation on the basis of the mean-field model. We show that a reasonable agreement with the experimental data can be obtained considering temperature dependence of the effective field parameter in gadolinium layers. In conclusion, the analysis of the experimental data shows that besides a strong reduction of the antiferromagnetic coupling between Fe and Gd, the introduction of Cr spacers into Fe/Gd superlattice leads to modification of both structural and magnetic characteristics of the ferromagnetic layers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗