Faraday's magneto-optic effect. Page from the notebooks of British physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867), showing notes and a diagram on the magneto-optic effect (also called the Faraday effect). These notes date from 13 September 1845. Faraday made several major advances in the fields of magnetism and electricity, devising the first electric motor and equipment such as transformers and dynamos. He worked at the Royal Institution, London, UK.