Optical studies of nanoscale magnets promise access to ultrafast magnetization dynamics but are challenging because of limited spatial resolution. We demonstrate that cavity enhancement of the magnetooptical Kerr effect increases the sensitivity in nanomagnetooptics significantly. Magnetization switching in individual single-domain magnets in both far-field and near-field Kerr microscopy is obs...

The contour integration technique applied to calculate the optical conductivity tensor at finite temperatures in the case of inhomogeneous surface layered systems within the framework of the spin– polarized relativistic screened Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker band structure method is extended to arbitrary polarizations of the electric field. It is shown that besides the inter–band contribution, the con...

The device physics and electro-optical properties of emerging liquid crystal displays (LCDs) based on the Kerr effect are investigated. With a voltage applied, both blue phase and polymer-stabilized blue phase exhibit a fascinating isotropic-toanisotropic transition. We have developed a numerical model to understand the underlying device physics in order to optimize device performance. The oper...

We measure transient spin accumulation in Cu, Ag, and Au by time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. The transient spin current is generated by ultrafast demagnetization of a ferromagnetic [Co/Pt] layer, and spin accumulates in an adjacent normal metal, Cu, Ag, or Au by spin diffusion. The magnitude of the Kerr rotation is described by an off-diagonal conductivity tensor that is proportional ...

We extend our previous study of the polarization dependence of the nonlinear optical response to the case of magnetic surfaces and buried magnetic interfaces. We calculate for the longitudinal and polar configuration the nonlinear magneto-optical Kerr rotation angle. In particular, we show which tensor elements of the susceptibilities are involved in the enhancement of the Kerr rotation in nonl...

We measure the Kerr-nonlinear index of refraction of a three-level Lambda-type atomic system inside an optical ring cavity. The Kerr nonlinearity is modified and greatly enhanced near atomic resonant conditions for both probe and coupling beams. The Kerr nonlinear coefficient n(2) changes sign when the coupling beam frequency detuning switches sign, which can lead to interesting applications in...

When a high-power optical signal is launched into a fiber, the linearity of the optical response is lost. One such nonlinear effect, which is due to the third-order electric susceptibility is called the optical Kerr effect. 1), 2) Four-wave mixing (FWM) is a type of optical Kerr effect, and occurs when light of two or more different wavelengths is launched into a fiber. Generally speaking FWM o...

The remarkable electronic properties of graphene strongly depend on the thickness and geometry of graphene stacks. This wide range of electronic tunability is of fundamental interest and has many applications in newly proposed devices. Using the mid-infrared, magneto-optical Kerr effect, we detect and identify over 18 interband cyclotron resonances (CR) that are associated with ABA and ABC stac...

We reveal that orbital angular momentum can suppress catastrophic self-focusing in nonlinear Kerr media supporting stable spiraling solitons with an elliptic cross section. We discuss the necessary requirements for observation of this effect with coherent optical and matter waves.