Inverse Faraday effect

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

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

From this equation we see that the circularly polarized light with the frequency ${\displaystyle \omega }$ should induce a magnetization along the wave vector ${\displaystyle \mathbf {k} }$. Because ${\displaystyle \mathbf {E} }$ 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.