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Published on: November 21, 2019
Advancing Characterization for Magnetic Materials via Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect Microscopy
Tianqi Huang1, Jie Dong1, Tianxu Huang1
1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, High St., Sydney, 2052, Australia.
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The magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy is a powerful tool for characterizing magnetic materials, leveraging its high surface sensitivity, nondestructive nature, rapid scanning capability, and real-time imaging functionality. This technique probes surface magnetization states by detecting polarization rotation or intensity variations in reflected polarized light, with three distinct operational modes (polar, longitudinal, transverse) tailored to different magnetization orientations. MOKE applications span diverse magnetic material systems, including metals and alloys, complex oxides, and polymer nanocomposites. This review comprehensively surveys MOKE developments, encompassing fundamental principles, operational modalities, comparative advantages over conventional magnetic characterization techniques, applications across material classes, and recent advancements-such as MOKE for high-resolution spectroscopy of 2D materials and topological magnetic structures.
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