Definitions

# Inverse Faraday effect

The inverse Faraday effect is the effect opposite to the Faraday effect. A static magnetization $vec\left\{M\right\}\left(0\right)$ is induced by an external oscillating electrical field with the frequency $omega$, which can be achieved with a high intensity laser pulse for example. The induced magnetization is proportional to the vector product of $vec\left\{E\right\}$ and $vec\left\{E\right\}^*$:

$vec\left\{M\right\}\left(0\right)propto\left[vec\left\{E\right\}\left(omega\right)timesvec\left\{E\right\}^*\left(omega\right)\right]$

From this equation we see that the circularly polarized light with the frequency $omega$ should induce a magnetization along the wave vector $vec\left\{k\right\}$. Because $vec\left\{E\right\}$ is in the vector product, left- and right-handed polarization waves should induce magnetization of opposite signs.

The induced magnetization is comparable to the saturated magnetization of the media.

## References

• R. Hertel, Microscopic theory of the inverse Faraday effect, http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0509060 (2005)
• A. V. Kimel, A. Kirilyuk, P. A. Usachev, R. V. Pisarev, A. M. Balbashov and Th. Rasing, Ultrafast non-thermal control of magnetization by instantaneous photomagnetic pulses, Nature 435, 655-657 (2005)

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