Temperature and Intensity Dependent Faraday Rotation in Hg$\text{}_{1-x}$Mn$\text{}_{x}$Te at CO$\text{}_{2}$ Laser Wavelengths

Faraday rotation in Hg$\text{}_{1-x}$Mn$\text{}_{x}$Te (x = 0.11) has been investigated experimentally over the temperature range from T = 8 K to 250 K using a Q-switched CO$\text{}_{2}$ laser. Due to the exchange interaction between mobile carriers and localized Mn ions, dramatic enhancement of Verdet coefficient at low temperatures has been observed. The values of Verdet coefficient V = 5585 rad T$\text{}^{-1}$ m$\text{}^{-1}$ at 8 K and V = 1745 rad T$\text{}^{-1}$ m$\text{}^{-1}$ at 80 K have been obtained for Hg$\text{}_{0.89}$Mn$\text{}_{0.11}$Te at 10.6 μm. The dependence of Faraday rotation on intensity of laser radiation has been observed. Intensity dependent Faraday rotation shows saturation for high laser power. Intensity induced rotation is qualitatively attributed to the dispersion associated with saturable absorption of laser radiation. The results obtained in this work indicate that Hg$\text{}_{1-x}$Mn$\text{}_{x}$Te is a suitable material for Faraday rotator at CO$\text{}_{2}$ laser wavelengths for high power laser beam.