The Physical Principles of Magneto-optical Recording

This book covers the physics of magneto-optical recording, beginning with first principles, and working through to contemporary state-of-the-art topics. The first half of the book teaches the theory of diffraction using an original unified approach. It also covers the optics of multilayers, polarization optics, noise in photodetection, and thermal aspects. The second half of the book describes the basics of magnetism and magnetic materials, magneto-static field calculations, domains and domain walls, the mean-field theory, magnetization dynamics, the theory of coercivity, and the process of thermomagnetic recording. Numerous examples based on real-world problems encountered in the engineering design of magneto-optical media and systems will give the reader valuable insights into the science and technology of optical recording. In addition, there are extensive problem sets at the end of each chapter.