Magneto-optical Kerr effect in short-period CdTe/MnTe superlattices

Magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) studies of biaxially strained (CdTe)ₙ/(MnTe)ₙ superlattices give evidence of an antiferromagnetic ordering as well as of paramagnetic behavior (bulk MnTe is an antiferromagnet with TN≈70K). With increasing n, paramagnetic behavior becomes dominant in the MOKE signals, apparently caused by the lack of spin ordering at the (CdTe)/(MnTe) interfaces for wider CdTe wells. Apart from the magnetic properties, the MOKE signals also yield information on the electronic interband transitions involving heavy-hole and electron subbands, centered in the CdTe quantum wells.