Magneto-Optics of type-II superconductors

The magneto-optical activity of superconducting ${\rm YBa}_{2}{\rm Cu}_{3}{\rm O}_{7}$ observed by Karrai {\it et al.} is not present in many commonly employed models of vortex dynamics. Here we propose a simple, unifying picture for the frequency dependent magneto-optic response of type-II superconductors at low temperatures. We bring together Kohn's theorem, vortex core excitations, and vortex pinning and damping into a single expression for the conductivity tensor. The theory describes magneto-optical activity observed in infrared transmission measurements of thin films of ${\rm YBa}_{2}{\rm Cu}_{3}{\rm O}_{7}$.