Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Both single layers (SL) of Tb-Fe and multilayer (ML) TbFe/Al2O3 films have been prepared and the magnetic and magnetooptical properties have been studied as a function of Tb-Fe layer thickness (d,) and modulation characteristics. Perfect rectangular loop is observed only for d1 > 20 na. However in ML, even for d1 -8 nm such characteristics are obtained. Hc shows a stronger dependence on d1 particularly in ML samples. The properties of ML samples are determined by d1 A12O3 layer thickness and the number of bi-layers. The Faraday rotation for Tb19Fe81 films at 633 nm is found to be 2×105 deg.cm-1. Magnetic inhomogeneities cause steps and peaks in Faraday and Kerr loops respectively.