Magneto-optics induced by the spin chirality in itinerant ferromagnet Nd$_2$Mo$_2$O$_7$

Abstract

It is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally that the spin chirality associated with a noncoplanar spin configuration produces a magneto-optical effect. Numerical study of the two-band Hubbard model on a triangle cluster shows that the optical Hall conductivity $σ_{xy}(ω)$ is proportional to the spin chirality. The detailed comparative experiments on pyrochlore-type molybdates $R_2$Mo$_2$O$_7$ with $R=$Nd (Ising-like moments) and $R=$Gd (Heisenberg-like ones) clearly distinguishes the two mechanisms, i.e., spin chirality and spin-orbit interactions. It is concluded that for $R$=Nd, $σ_{xy}(ω)$ is dominated by the spin chirality for the dc ($ω=0$) and the $d \to d$ incoherent intraband optical transitions between Mo atoms.

4 pages, 5 figures. submitted to Phys. Rev. B