Magnetization-induced optical third-harmonic generation in Co and Fe nanostructures

Magnetization-induced optical third-harmonic generation (MTHG) is observed in magnetic nanostructures: Co and Fe nanolayers and granular films containing Co nanoparticles. Magnetization-induced variations of the MTHG characteristics in these nanostructures exceed the typical values of linear magneto-optical Kerr effect by at least an order of magnitude: the maximum of magnetic contrast in the MTHG intensity is up to 0.2, the angle of polarization rotation for MTHG is 10 deg. and the relative phase shift is up to 100 deg.