title: Versatile, high sensitivity, and automatized angular dependent vectorial Kerr magnetometer for the analysis of nanostructured materials.
abstract: Magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometry is an indispensable, reliable, and one of the most widely used techniques for the characterization of nanostructured magnetic materials. Information, such as the magnitude of coercive fields or anisotropy strengths, can be readily obtained from MOKE measurements. We present a description of our state-of-the-art vectorial MOKE magnetometer, being an extremely versatile, accurate, and sensitivity unit with a low cost and comparatively simple setup. The unit includes focusing lenses and an automatized stepper motor stage for angular dependent measurements. The performance of the magnetometer is demonstrated by hysteresis loops of Co thin films displaying uniaxial anisotropy induced on growth, MnIr/CoFe structures exhibiting the so called exchange bias effect, spin valves, and microfabricated flux guides produced by optical lithography.
authors.affiliation: IFIMUP and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and Departamento de Fisica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. jmteixeira@fc.up.pt
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lusche
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fermento
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carpinteiro
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Freitas