Magneto-optical properties of vacuum-deposited PtMnSb thin films

Magneto-optical properties for PtMnSb thin films, prepared by sequential vacuum deposition and annealing, are examined. PtMnSb thin films annealed at 500 °C exhibit a large Faraday rotation (θF) of 7.3×105 deg cm−1 as well as a large polar Kerr rotation (θK) of −1.8° at 633 nm. They transmit light well in the 400–900 nm wavelength range with an absorption coefficient (α) of 3.2×105 cm−1 at 633 nm. The magneto-optical figures of merit at 633 nm were 2θF/α =4.6 deg for transmitted light and (R)1/2θK =0.99 deg for reflected light.