• NanoMOKE3 (Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect) Durham Magneto Optics Ltd..
• Acquired on december 2012.

• NanoMOKE3 is a hybrid ultra-high sensitivity magnetooptical magnetometer and Kerr microscope. Is ideally suited to measuring the magnetic properties of thin magnetic films and magnetic nanostructures, for its application in magnetic nanotechnology, magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM), recording heads, patterned magnetic media, spintronics / magneto-electronics, GMR / TMR, thin film magnetism, magnetic field sensors. Fully automated integrated optics (see Figure). Control software: LX Pro 2.
• Configurations: longitudinal, transverse (in plane) and polar (out of plane) magneto-optical Kerr effects.
• Resolution: the laser spot can be focused to as small as 2 µm. This allows high hysteresis loop sensitivity to be achieved in single isolated nanostructures or sharp domain images to be captured.
• Temperature range: though it is usually employed at room temperature (RT), an optional liquid helium 4-He cryogenic sample stage is available, thus allowing measurements to be made in the temperature range 4.2 K – 500 K (LT). Only compatible with the dipolar electromagnet, reducing its maximum magnetic field to 2 kOe.
• Magnetic field range: *
  • Quadrupolar magnet: 0 to ± 1 kOe (longitudinal, transversal, polar). Not available at LT.
  • Dipolar magnet **: 0 to ± 4.5 kOe (RT) and 0 a ± 2 kOe (LT) in longitudinal configuration; 0 to ± 2 kOe in polar configuration.
• Samples: thin films and magnetic nanostructures. Samples must be optically reflective. Recommended sample size: 0.5 – 2.5 cm.
• This instrument allows measuring Kerr hysteresis loops in the temperature range 4.20 K – 600 K, image domain formation in thin films magnetized materials, reflectivity image to focus the laser spot into a microstructure to measure local hysteresis loops from different parts (resolution down to 2 µm) and, in general, to investigate the magnetic properties of thin films and nanostructures as a function of the magnetic field and temperature.