Cobalt ferrite thin films for magneto-optical recording

Abstract

The optimization of the magneto-optic rotation in thin polycrystalline Co-ferrite films is studied theoretically and experimentally. An optimized three layer structure resulted in a rotation contrast between 0 and 16° depending on the choice of film thicknesses. Recording experiments on "after-groove" optical disks showed the material to be reasonably sensitive to thermomagnetic writing and to have a steep dependence of signal to writing power.