Magneto-optical effect

The magneto-optical effect occurs when a magnetic field influences how light interacts with a material. Specifically, it causes a change in the polarization, or the direction in which the light waves vibrate, as the light passes through or reflects off the material. This effect allows magnetic fields to be detected and measured using optical methods. It’s commonly used in devices like hard drive read/write heads and magnetic sensors because it provides a precise way to analyze magnetic properties by observing how light behaves in the presence of a magnetic field.