Transmission magnetooptics in synthetic antiferromagnets

The potential of the transmission magnetooptics for the studies of magnetization profiles in synthetically layered antiferromagnetic nanostructures (synthetic antiferromagnets) is evaluated. The systematic evaluation is performed on a model structure formed by two iron layers of the varying thickness, d, in the nanometer range, separated from each other by a gold spacer 1 nm thick on a gold 30 nm thick substrate, Fe↑( d nm)/Au(1 nm)/Fe↓( d nm)/Au(30 nm). Despite the vanishing total magnetization, the magnetooptic (MO) response is nonzero. The d dependence of MO response displays maxima followed by saturation with increasing d. A simultaneous reversal of magnetization in the iron layers produces the sign reversal of the MO response.