Abstract
The magneto-optical (MO) Faraday effect of films with disordered multilayer structures was analyzed theoretically, using the random matrix approach. The films were composed by stacking bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi: YIG) layers and silicon dioxide (SiO2) layers in a disordered sequence. When the multilayer film has a disordered structure appropriate for supporting the lacalization of light, the Faraday rotation angle θF of the film is extraordinarily enlarged: for instance, at λ (wavelength of light) = 1.15 μm, θF increases by more than 6.0deg/μm, which is about 30 times more than the inherent value for the Bi: YIG single film (θF=0.2 deg/μm). This is considered to be a novel mechanism for enhancing the MO Faraday effect, and is very attractive for various MO applications, including optical communication and high-density MO recording.
