Magneto-optical Kerr microscope
Kerr Microscope system is facility for the visualisation of magnetic domains and magnetization processes as well as for optically recording magnetization curves on all kinds of magnetic materials, including bulk specimens like sheets or ribbons, magnetic films and multilayers, patterned films or micro- and nanowires. They are semi-automatic, contact-less, non-destructive measuring systems using the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) as contrast mechanism. Automatic off-axial light system allows for automatic and simultaneous visualization of all the components of magnetization vector. The microscope is equipped with rotable in-plane magnet with maximum field of 0.3 T with possibility of cooling, or a home made out-of-plane magnet with maximum field of 0.1 T (no magnet cooling available).
Specification
Both in-plane and out-of plane magnets are controlled by current KEPCO source available at the instrument. The in-plane magnet has several options in terms of field ranges, depending on the combination of coil (small or large) and the poles (no poles / split poles / high field poles). Overview of the field ranges for the combinations is seen in the table below. For higher DC fields/AC fields/longer measurement times the cooling for the IP magnet is avalable. The out-of plane magnet is a home made magnet with range approx. ±0.1 T without any cooling possibility.
| No poles | Split poles | High field poles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small coil | ±1.78 mT, linear | ±17.5 mT, linear | not used |
| Big coil | ±37.6 mT, linear | ±337 mT | ±353 mT (poles 10 mm out) ±537 mT (poles 6 mm out) ±756 mT (poles 4 mm out) |
The measurement sowftware allows the user to choose the LED lamp control option for Kerr sensitivities (longitudinal+polar / transversal+polar / longitudinal+transversal / polar / pure longitudinal / pure transversal), define a region of interest (ROI) on a part of the sample, perform measurements in the 'looper' where one can define hysteresis loop measurements and save images for each step during loop measurements, save images in the manual mode, etc. Further the data can be processed in an additional SW (e.g. video from image sequences, plotting a profile, additional manual bacground subtraction, etc.).
Current lenses available:
- 20x, NA 0.5, Pol
- 50x, NA 0.8 Pol (NM)
- 60x, NA 0.7 Nikon lense + adapter
- 100x, NA 1.3 Oil Pol (NM)
- 50x, NA 0.75 HD (previous with microscope)
- 100x, NA 0.85 HD (previous with microscope)
Gallery
Publications
TAKHSHA, M.; SINGH, V.; LEDIEU, J.; FABBRICI, S.; CASOLI, F.; MEZZADRI, F.; HORKÝ, M.; FOURNEE, V.; UHLÍŘ, V.; ALBERTINI, F., 2025: Magnetic Manipulation of Spatially Confined Multiferroic Heuslers by Martensitic Microstructure Engineering. SMALL STRUCTURES 6 (11), p. 1 - 12, doi: 10.1002/sstr.202500284 (VERIOS, VERSALAB, SUSS-MA8, RIE-FLUORINE, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
DODD, S.; GUDINO, N.; ZADOROZHNII, O.; STAŇO, M.; HAJDUČEK, J.; ARREGI URIBEETXEBARRIA, J.; MORRIS, H.; UHLÍŘ, V.; BARBIC, M.; KORETSKY, A., 2025: Field switching of microfabricated metamagnetic FeRh MRI contrast agents. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 15 (1), p. 1 - 10, doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-85384-6 (MAGNETRON, VERSALAB, MIRA-EBL, EVAPORATOR, RIE-FLUORINE, ICON-SPM, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
WOJEWODA, O.; HOLOBRÁDEK, J.; PAVELKA, D.; PRIBYTOVA, E.; KRČMA, J.; KLÍMA, J.; PANDA, J.; MICHALIČKA, J.; LEDNICKÝ, T.; CHUMAK, A.; URBÁNEK, M., 2024: Unidirectional propagation of zero-momentum magnons. APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 125 (13), p. 1 - 6, doi: 10.1063/5.0218478 (TITAN, BRILLOUIN, KERR-MICROSCOPE, MAGNETRON, EVAPORATOR, RAITH, VERSALAB)
KLÍMA, J.; WOJEWODA, O.; ROUČKA, V.; MOLNÁR, T.; HOLOBRÁDEK, J.; URBÁNEK, M., 2024: Zero-field spin wave turns. APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 124 (11), doi: 10.1063/5.0189394 (BRILLOUIN, EVAPORATOR, LYRA, KERR-MICROSCOPE, RAITH, ICON-SPM)
LEJEUNE, N.; FOURNEAU, E.; BARRERA, A.; MORRIS, O.; LEONARD, O.; ARREGI URIBEETXEBARRIA, J.; NAVAU, C.; UHLÍŘ, V.; BENDING, S.; PALAU, A.; SILHANEK, A., 2024: Dimensional crossover of microscopic magnetic metasurfaces for magnetic field amplification. APL MATERIALS 12 (7), p. 1 - 7, doi: 10.1063/5.0217500 (KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Opršal, J., 2024: Fabrication and study of epitaxial NiO thin films and their antiferromagnetic domain structure. MASTER'S THESIS, p. 1 - 48 (MAGNETRON, RIGAKU9, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Otýpka, M., 2024: Electric-current Control of Magnetic Textures in Synthetic Antiferromagnets. BACHELOR'S THESIS, p. 1 - 56 (MAGNETRON, VERSALAB, DWL, WIRE-BONDER, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Štindl, J., 2024: Correlative imaging of magnetic order in antiferromagnets. BACHELOR'S THESIS, p. 1 - 44 (VERSALAB, KERR-MICROSCOPE, HELIOS, TITAN)
Klíma, J., 2023: Spin waves in non-trivial magnetic landscapes. BACHELOR'S THESIS, p. 1 - 69 (MIRA-EBL, LYRA, ICON-SPM, KERR-MICROSCOPE, BRILLOUIN, EVAPORATOR)
Molnár, T., 2023: Magneto-optical gradient effect imaging of magnetic textures. MASTER'S THESIS, p. 1 - 73 (MAGNETRON, RIGAKU9, KERR-MICROSCOPE, TITAN)
Hnilica, J., 2023: Current-induced domain wall propagation in ferrimagnetic wires. MASTER'S THESIS (MAGNETRON, VERSALAB, RIGAKU9, SUSS-RCD8, DWL, WIRE-BONDER, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
PRADHAN, G.; CELEGATO, F.; MADRI, A.; COISSON, M.; BARRERA, G.; MIKULIČKOVÁ, L.; ARREGI URIBEETXEBARRIA, J.; ČELKO, L.; UHLÍŘ, V.; RIZZI, P.; TIBERTO, P., 2023: Control of magnetic vortex states in FeGa microdisks: Experiments and micromagnetics. JOURNAL OF SCIENCE-ADVANCED MATERIALS AND DEVICES 8 (3), p. 1 - 8, doi: 10.1016/j.jsamd.2023.100608 (KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Fourneau, E.; Arregi, J.A.; Barrera, A.; Nguyen, ND.; Bending, S.; Sanchez, A.; Uhlir, V.; Palau, A.; Silhanek, A.V. , 2023: Microscale Metasurfaces for On-Chip Magnetic Flux Concentration. ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES 8 (16), p. 1 - 9, doi: 10.1002/admt.202300177 (KERR-MICROSCOPE)
ARREGI URIBEETXEBARRIA, J.; RINGE, F.; HAJDUČEK, J.; GOMONAY, O.; MOLNÁR, T.; JASKOWIEC, J.; UHLÍŘ, V., 2023: Magnetic-field-controlled growth of magnetoelastic phase domains in FeRh. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS: MATERIALS 6 (3), p. 1 - 15, doi: 10.1088/2515-7639/acce6f (MAGNETRON, KERR-MICROSCOPE, VERSALAB, RIGAKU9, ICON-SPM, HELIOS, TITAN)
PRADHAN, G.; CELEGATO, F.; BARRERA, G.; OLIVETTI, E.S.; COISSON, M.; HAJDUČEK, J.; ARREGI URIBEETXEBARRIA, J.; ČELKO, L.; UHLÍŘ, V.; RIZZI, P.; TIBERTO, P., 2022: Magnetic properties of FeGa/Kapton for flexible electronics. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 12 (1), p. 17503 - 11, doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-21589-3 (HELIOS, TITAN, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Turčan, I., 2022: Magnetism in curved geometries. PH.D. THESIS, p. 1 - 117 (LYRA, BRILLOUIN, ICON-SPM, MIRA-EBL, KERR-MICROSCOPE, HELIOS)
Holobrádek, J., 2022: Low damping magnonic (meta)materials with enhanced control over local magnetic properties. TREATISE TO STATE DOCTORAL EXAM, p. 1 - 26 (VERIOS, HELIOS, KERR-MICROSCOPE, MAGNETRON, KAUFMAN)
Velič, A., 2022: Optical study of laser-induced magnetic phase transitions. BACHELOR'S THESIS, p. 1 - 42 (MAGNETRON, VERSALAB, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Opršal, J., 2022: Ultrafast laser-induced control of magnetic materials. BACHELOR'S THESIS, p. 1 - 35 (KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Vaňatka, M., 2021: Static and dynamic properties of nanostructured magnetic materials. PH.D. THESIS, p. 1 - 113 (VERSALAB, VNA-MPI, TITAN, BRILLOUIN, MIRA-EBL, RAITH, KERR-MICROSCOPE, MAGNETRON, EVAPORATOR, VERIOS, WIRE-BONDER, LYRA)
Dhankhar, M.;, 2021: Magnetic vortex based memory device. PH.D. THESIS, p. 1 - 100 (KERR-MICROSCOPE, ICON-SPM, DWL, MIRA-EBL, RAITH, KAUFMAN, EVAPORATOR, MAGNETRON, ALD-FIJI, WIRE-BONDER, SUSS-RCD8)
TURČAN, I.; FLAJŠMAN, L.; WOJEWODA, O.; ROUČKA, V.; MAN, O.; URBÁNEK, M., 2021: Spin wave propagation in corrugated waveguides. APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 118 (9), p. 1 - 5, doi: 10.1063/5.0041138 (HELIOS, LYRA, ICON-SPM, RAITH, KERR-MICROSCOPE, VERSALAB, VNA-MPI, BRILLOUIN)
Molnár, T., 2021: Magneto-optical imaging and analysis of magnetic domain microstructures. BACHELOR'S THESIS, p. 1 - 52 (MAGNETRON, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Zadorozhnii, O., 2021: Exchange bias in metamagnetic heterostructures. MASTER'S THESIS, p. 1 - 81 (MAGNETRON, VERSALAB, KERR-MICROSCOPE, RAITH, RIE-FLUORINE, LYRA, UHV-XPS)
GHAHFAROKHI, M.; ARREGI URIBEETXEBARRIA, J.; CASOLI, F.; HORKÝ, M.; CABASSI, R.; UHLÍŘ, V.; ALBERTINI, F., 2021: Microfabricated ferromagnetic-shape-memory Heuslers: The geometry and size effects. APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY 23, p. 101058-1 - 11, doi: 10.1016/j.apmt.2021.101058 (VERSALAB, RIGAKU9, KERR-MICROSCOPE, SUSS-MA8, RIE-FLUORINE, EVAPORATOR, WIRE-BONDER, VERIOS)
Holobrádek, J., 2020: Metastable iron thin films for magnetic metamaterials. MASTER´S THESIS, p. 1 - 70 (HELIOS, RIGAKU9, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Wojewoda, O., 2020: Phase-resolved Brillouin light scattering: development and applications. MASTER'S THESIS (ICON-SPM, BRILLOUIN, EVAPORATOR, LYRA, MIRA-EBL, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Motyčková, L., 2020: Magnetic properties of self-assembled FeRh nanomagnets. MASTER'S THESIS, p. 1 - 90 (MAGNETRON, VERSALAB, ICON-SPM, RIGAKU9, VERIOS, KERR-MICROSCOPE)
Flajšman, L., 2020: Magneto-optical study of the dynamic properties of magnetic nanostructures and nanostructured metamaterials. PH.D. THESIS, p. 1 - 152 (LYRA, KERR-MICROSCOPE, BRILLOUIN)
FLAJŠMAN, L.; WAGNER, K.; VAŇATKA, M.; GLOSS, J.; KŘIŽÁKOVÁ, V.; SCHMID, M.; URBÁNEK, M.; SCHULTHEISS, H., 2020: Zero-field propagation of spin waves in waveguides prepared by focused ion beam direct writing. PHYSICAL REVIEW B 101 (1), p. 014436-1 - 7, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.101.014436 (KERR-MICROSCOPE, LYRA)
Wojewoda, O.; Hula, T.; Flajsman, L.; Vanatka, M.; Gloss, J.; Holobradek, J.; Stano, M.; Stienen, S.; Korber, L.; Schultheiss, K.; Schmid, M.; Schultheiss, H.; Urbanek, M , 2020: Propagation of spin waves through a Neel domain wall. APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 117 (2), p. 022405-1 - 5, doi: 10.1063/5.0013692 (EVAPORATOR, KERR-MICROSCOPE, ICON-SPM, LYRA, BRILLOUIN, MIRA-EBL)
GLOSS, J.; HORKÝ, M.; KŘIŽÁKOVÁ, V.; FLAJŠMAN, L.; SCHMID, M.; URBÁNEK, M.; VARGA, P., 2019: The growth of metastable fcc Fe78Ni22 thin films on H-Si(100) substrates suitable for focused ion beam direct magnetic patterning. APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE 469, p. 747 - 6, doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.10.263 (ICON-SPM, KERR-MICROSCOPE, LYRA, UHV-XPS)
Křižáková, V., 2018: Spin wave excitation and propagation in magnonic crystals prepared by focused ion beam direct writing. MASTER'S THESIS, p. 1 - 83 (LYRA, HELIOS, KERR-MICROSCOPE, ICON-SPM, MIRA-EBL, EVAPORATOR, WIRE-BONDER)
URBÁNEK, M.; FLAJŠMAN, L.; KŘIŽÁKOVÁ, V.; GLOSS, J.; HORKÝ, M.; SCHMID, M.; VARGA, P., 2018: Research Update: Focused ion beam direct writing of magnetic patterns with controlled structural and magnetic properties. APL MATERIALS 6 (6), p. 060701-1 - 7, doi: 10.1063/1.5029367 (LYRA, HELIOS, UHV-XPS, KERR-MICROSCOPE, ICON-SPM, RIGAKU9)