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Magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy is a powerful tool for studying magnetic properties at the nanoscale. MOKE is based on the magneto-optical Kerr effect, which is a phenomenon that occurs when light is reflected off a magnetized material.
The reflected light is polarized differently depending on the magnetization direction of the material. By measuring this polarization change, it is possible to measure the local magnetization of a material with high sensitivity and spatial resolution.
MOKE microscopy is often used to study magnetism on the nanoscale, such as in magnetic recording media, nanostructures, and magnetic thin films. It can be used to measure magnetic properties such as magnetization, coercivity, and exchange bias.
MOKE microscopy is also used to characterize magnetic materials, to study surface magnetism, and to investigate magnetization processes.The main components of a MOKE microscope are a sample holder, a light source, a polarizer and an analyzer, a detector, and a computer.
The sample is placed in the sample holder and illuminated with light. The light is then polarized by the polarizer and analyzer, and the polarization is measured by the detector. The computer then processes the data and displays the results.
MOKE microscopy is a powerful tool for studying magnetic properties at the nanoscale, and is increasingly being used in research and industry. With its high sensitivity and spatial resolution, it is a valuable tool for characterizing magnetic materials, studying surface magnetism, and investigating magnetization processes.
The Global Magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy market accounted for $XX Billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach $XX Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2024 to 2030.
Instantaneous imaging of the magnetic domains and other microstructures in magnetic materials can be created by magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy, one of the most widely used technologies for this purpose.
With a respectable sub-micrometer spatial resolution, it is exceedingly easy to access, non-invasive, and convenient in ambient conditions. The polarisation state of light reflected from a magnetic substance can shift somewhat, and this is what the magneto-optic Kerr effect, which underlies the MOKE microscope, describes.
A polarised light microscope can be used to observe this shift in polarisation, which is contingent upon the material’s level of magnetism. The typical order of change in polarisation is sub-degree.
To maximise the optical contrast of various magnetic domains under a MOKE microscope, precise alignment and fine-tuning of the compensator—a quarter-wave plate—and the analyzer are necessary.
Nevertheless, the data transfer speed of standard cameras severely restricts the temporal resolution, or frame rate, of MOKE microscopy—not for any physical reason.
Upgrading to commercial MOKE microscopy and installing high-speed cameras are required for applications demanding quick dynamics of magnetic microstructures. A silicon retina, sometimes known as an event camera, is a novel kind of sensor that resembles the neuronal structure of the eye and can transmit visual data at a low data rate with great temporal resolution.
Under a MOKE microscope, the optical contrast of magnetic domains is a challenging subject, particularly for materials with multilayer thin films. The two most important phases in fine-tuning a MOKE microscope are, in essence, shutting down the aperture diaphragm in the illumination path at the expense of overall brightness and optimising both the compensator and the analyzer in the collecting path.
The latter is seldom used in conventional MOKE since contrast in processed photos and videos may be greatly enhanced by background elimination and brightness is more crucial. For our application, a 1%–2% increase in optical contrast at the expense of brightness could be very significant.
