Magneto-optical properties of Co-based nanocomposites

The present study addresses the magneto-optical properties of Co/sub X/(TiO/sub 2/)/sub 1-X/ and Co/sub X/(Sm/sub 2/O/sub 3/)/sub X/ thin films in as-deposited state and after annealing. The films are composed of the granular ferromagnet-insulator composites where the nanometer-sized Co are embedded in either TiO/sub 2/ or Sm/sub 2/O/sub 3/ insulating matrix. The magnetic properties of the films were measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) in magnetic field up to 20 kOe. The magneto resistance (MR) was investigated using standard four-point geometry. The magneto-optical properties were investigated in the transverse Kerr effect (TKE) geometry.