Kerr Magneto-Optic Effect in Thin Cobalt Films*

Rotations and ellipticities of the longitudinal Kerr, magneto-optic effect were measured over the visible spectrum on three evaporated cobalt films. The complex index of refraction and the magneto-optic parameter Q were computed and agreed, in general, with early results on bulk cobalt. Using Voigt’s theory, the polar effect and the longitudinal effect for a different angle of incidence were predicted, and found in moderate agreement with experiment.