FORC measurements in just minutes with NanoMOKE3
First-order reversal curve (FORC) measurements are a powerful method
to characterize magnetic samples.
During FORC measurements, all magnetic states of an investigated system are distinguished by coercive field strength and internal magnetic interactions. VSM or SQUID measurements, which are normally used to determine FORC, are complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, resolution and the number of measurements are limited by time restrictions. Faster methods like MOKE (Magneto Optic Kerr Effect) can lead to stability problems due to drift effects and only relative magnetization values.
The work group around Prof. Goering from the Max-Planck-Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart has developed an approach that allows FORC measurements with MOKE. It uses a special field shape that provides two anchor points for every loop. This leads to high field resolution while the measurement only takes a few minutes [1]. This method has been developed with help of the NanoMOKE3 system from Durham Magneto Optics (DMO). DMO was founded in 2002 by Prof. Russell Cowburn, one of the leading scientists in the spintronic and nanomagnetism field.
[1] Eberhard Goering et. al., Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstraße 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany, Review of Scientific Instruments 85, 023901 (2014),
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4865135
