Longitudinal Kerr effect in ultrathin Fe films on Pd(100)

Abstract

Based on Luttinger's formulation the complex optical conductivity tensor of ultrathin films of Fe on Pd(100) is calculated by means of the spin-polarized relativistic screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method using a contour integration technique. For longitudinal geometry and oblique incidence ab initio Kerr spectra are then obtained via a 2 X 2 matrix technique that takes into account all multiple reflections between layers and optical interferences. The obtained results are in very good agreement with the available experimental data.