Abstract
A complete analysis of multilayer structures containing an arbitrary number of dielectric, metal, magnetic, and birefringent/dichroic layers is presented. An algorithm, based on simple 2×2 matrices, is derived which allows reflection, transmission, absorption, magneto‐optic conversion, birefringence, and dichroism of the structure to be computed on a personal computer. The incident beam is assumed to be plane monochromatic with arbitrary angle of incidence. There are no approximations involved, and the results are direct consequences of Maxwell’sequations.