Basic concepts and applications about XMCD absorption spectroscopy were reviewed. One may deduce the spin magnetic moments
orbital magnetic moments and magnetic structure anisotropies of magnetic elements according to sum rules of XMCD. Magnetic films
ultra - thin films and sandwich films can be studied by XMCD
in which there are distinguishing features from that of bulk samples. By now
XMCD has combined with other techniques
such as
microscopy
EXAFS/XAFS
to extend magnetic researches. The design of the beamline and endstation of soft X ray magnetic circular dichroism at the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory and its present development were introduced.