The evico magnetics Kerr-Microscope & Magnetometer system is a facility for the visualization of magnetic domains in all kinds of ferro- and ferrimagnetic materials that show a magneto-optical Kerr effect. This includes magnetic films, multilayers, micro- and nano-wires as well as bulk materials of any size or shape and independent of the magnetic hardness of the specimen.

It is a semi-automatic, contact-less, non-destructive measuring system using the magneto-optical Kerr effect in a wide-field, optical microscope for full mapping of spot sizes up to 5 mm diameter and down to the resolution limit of optical microscopy (300 nm).

As required by the Kerr technique, a high-end optical polarization microscope is provided, equipped with image processing capabilities for contrast enhancement.

Magnetic in- plane fields of arbitrary direction can be applied during observation so that domain nucleation and magnetization processes can be observed easily. At the same time, surface-hysteresis loops at selected sample spots can be optically measured (MOKE-magnetometry).



Features (excerpts):

• Zeiss optics

• Microscope mounted on granitic plate for mechanical stabilization

• Objective lenses with magnificatons from 5x to 100x (oil immersion)

• Slit aperture for adjustable inclined or perpendicular incidence (choice between longitudinal, transverse and polar sensitivity)

• Sample stage for a sample sizes up to 35 mm in diameter

• Grid polarizer for increased Kerr-efficiency, rotatable

• Rotatable analyzer and compensator module

• Lens system for corrected illumination

• Highly stable and intense Xenon short arc light source

• LED Lamp alternatively (see Extensions)

• Frame rate 8.8 - 43 frames/s (resolution dependent)

• Resolution maximum: 1.37 million pixels (1344 x 1024)

• Manually rotatable by 360°

• Supported on a magnet holder with adjustable height, support independent from sample holder

• Water cooled

• In-plane field range from 10^-4 T up to 1.4 T

• Configurated workstation

• NI LabView based measurement software "KerrLab"

• Camera control

• Magnetic field control (DC, AC, demagnetization etc)

• Image processing capabilities for high contrast magnetic domain observation (real-time difference imaging technique)

• Recording of surface hysteresis loops (MOKE magnetometry) with simultaneous domain movement observation