Magneto-optical properties of Europium hexaboride

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Full potential spin-polarized self-consistent electronic structure calculation s have been performed on LaB₆, EuB₆ and YbB₆ using Linear Muffin- Tin Orbital Method. The electronic structure of EuB₆ shows a small overlap near the Fermi level. This is in disagreement with the recent ARPES study. The r eflectivity spectrum shows a plasma resonance at about 0.3 eV in EuB₆. Abso rption starts at about 1.5 eV and it is due to 4f to 5d transition. Both the se features are reflected in the magneto-optical Kerr spectrum. At 0.3 eV, there is a rotation of +8⁰ to -10⁰ and at 1.5 eV, a rotation of about 0.5⁰ occurs. The reasonable agreement with MOKE experiment implies that the incl usion of Drude correction is absolutely essential for the treatment of EuB₆.