Magneto-optic Kerr effect

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Magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) is one of the magneto-optic effects. It describes changes of the reflections from the magnetized media. It is similar to the Faraday effect that describes the light passing through the media. The light that is reflected from a magnetized surface, changes in polarization.

MOKE can be further categorized by the direction of the magnetization vector with respect to the reflection surface and the plane of incidence. When the magnetization vector is perpendicular to the reflection surface and parallel to the plane of incidence, the effect is called the polar Kerr effect. To simplify the analysis, near normal incidence is usually employed when doing experiments in the polar geometry. In the longitudinal effect the magnetization vector is parallel to both the reflection surface and the plane of incidence. When the magnetization is perpendicular to the plane of incidence and parallel to the surface it is said to be in the transverse configuration.