Inverse Faraday effect

The inverse Faraday effect is the effect opposite to the Faraday effect. A static magnetization $vec\{M\}(0)$ 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 $vec\{E\}$ and $vec\{E\}^*$:

$vec\{M\}(0)propto\; [vec\{E\}(omega)\; imesvec\{E\}^*(omega)]$

From this equation we see that the circularly polarized light with the frequency $omega$ should induce a magnetization along the wave vector $vec\{k\}$. Because $vec\{E\}$ 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)