Optical Probe Stations

We have two Magneto-optic Kerr Effect (MOKE) setups operating in wide-field (WF) and scanning laser (SL) modes, respectively.  Both setups are complemented with relevant current sources (ac/dc/pulse), enabling us to study current-driven magnetization dynamics.

SL-MOKE operates with a focused laser in a selected range of wavelengths (405-632 nm) and can probe the out-of-plane magnetization orientation locally (~1 um^2). The sample is mounted on a motorized x-y translation stage, which allows scanning the sample with high precision and mapping the magnetization orientation over a larger area (e.g., 30x30 um^2). 

WF-MOKE allows us to image magnetic domains in ultrathin (0.5-50 nm) ferromagnetic films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with resolution down to 1 um^2. It is equipped with a blue LED source and a high-speed/resolution camera to capture domain and domain walls dynamics. It is also equipped with a temperature stage that allows for heating up the sample during measurement.