Faraday Effect in Molecules

The relationship between the measured Verdet constants of a number of molecules and the quantum-mechanical theory of the Faraday effect is examined. The observed behavior of nitric oxide, which is significantly different from that of the diamagnetic gases, is explained by a consideration of the effect on the Verdet constant of the transition from the Π12 state to the 2Σ state lying at 44 000 cm—1.