Observation of large magneto-optical effects in amorphous U _xSb_1-x films

Abstract

Amorphous films with the compositions UxSb1-x (for x between 0.2 and 0.8) prepared by magnetron sputtering show ferromagnetic properties with Curie temperatures as high as 135 K (for x=0.45) and ordered magnetic moments of about 1.5μB. Large positive Faraday rotation values of over 2×106 deg/cm and large negative Kerr rotation values of over 3°are reported. The values of Faraday rotation are correlated with a large Hall effect, having corresponding Hall angles of up to θH=17°.