Magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) ellipsometry techniques

Quantifying the magnetization behaviors of magnetic materials can be a challenging task, given that they typically require the use of expensive tools or large facilities. In our work, we address this challenge with the use of the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE).

When light is reflected from a magnetic surface or thin film, the properties of the reflected light change with the magnetization vector. This, in turn, implies that we can determine the full magnetization vector orientation by just quantifying the relative changes in the reflected light.

This MOKE  based ellipsometry allows then for a cost-effective quantification of the magnetization behavior, using otherwise simple optical components, while achieving unprecedented precision.