title: Cavity-enhanced magnetooptical observation of magnetization reversal in individual single-domain nanomagnets.
abstract: Optical studies of nanoscale magnets promise access to ultrafast magnetization dynamics but are challenging because of limited spatial resolution. We demonstrate that cavity enhancement of the magnetooptical Kerr effect increases the sensitivity in nanomagnetooptics significantly. Magnetization switching in individual single-domain magnets in both far-field and near-field Kerr microscopy is observed, and scaling laws are determined. Near-field signals remain nearly constant with reduced magnet diameter, indicating favorable scaling of near-field magnetooptics into the deep nanometer range.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Suqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lowther
authors.forename: Aaron R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Sunghoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liddle
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bokor
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008280:Magnetics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008956:Models, Chemical; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D009532:Nickel