Inverse Faraday effect
# Inverse Faraday effect

In optics, the inverse Faraday effect is the effect opposite to the Faraday effect. A static magnetization $\mathbf {M} (0)$ is induced by an external oscillating electrical field with the frequency $\omega$, which can be achieved with a high intensity laser pulse for example. The induced magnetization is proportional to the vector product of $\mathbf {E}$ and $\mathbf {E} ^{*}$:

$\mathbf {M} (0)\propto [\mathbf {E} (\omega )\times \mathbf {E} ^{*}(\omega )]$

From this equation we see that the circularly polarized light with the frequency $\omega$ should induce a magnetization along the wave vector $\mathbf {k}$. Because $\mathbf {E}$ is in the vector product, left- and right-handed polarization waves should induce magnetization of opposite signs.

The induced magnetization is comparable to the saturated magnetization of the media.

