Magneto-Optical Effect in Magnetic Fluid

To explore the possibilities of applying films of magnetic fluid in optical devices, birefringence in a magnetic colloid film was studied by measuring the maximum and minimum intensities of transmitted coherent light polarized in directions parallel and perpendicular to an applied magnetic field, the strength of which was varied. From the results, the dependence of phase shifts of orthogonal electric field vector components on the field strength was determined. It is thought that the magnetic particles in the fluid align in chains parallel to the field, thereby inducing the observed differences in transmissivity of light polarized in the parallel and perpendicular directions.