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Légaré K, Chardonnet V, Bermúdez Macias I, Hennes M, Delaunay R, Lassonde P, Légaré F, Lambert G, Jal E, Vodungbo B. Analytic description and optimization of magneto-optical Kerr setups with photoelastic modulation. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2022; 93:073001. [PMID: 35922312 DOI: 10.1063/5.0088610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Instruments based on the magneto-optical Kerr effect are routinely used to probe surface magnetic properties. These tools rely on the characterization of the polarization state of reflected light from the sample to collect information on its magnetization. Here, we present a theoretical optimization of common setups based on the magneto-optical Kerr effect. A detection scheme based on a simple analyzer and photodetector and one made from a polarizing beam splitter and balanced photodetectors are considered. The effect of including a photoelastic modulator (PEM) and a lock-in amplifier to detect the signal at harmonics of the modulating frequency is studied. Jones formalism is used to derive general expressions that link the intensity of the measured signal to the magneto-optical Fresnel reflection coefficients for any orientation of the polarizing optical components. Optimal configurations are then defined as those that allow measuring the Kerr rotation and ellipticity while minimizing nonmagnetic contributions from the diagonal Fresnel coefficients in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The expressions show that with the PEM, setups based on polarizing beam splitters inherently offer a twofold higher signal than commonly used analyzers, and the experimental results confirm that the SNR is improved by more than 150%. Furthermore, we find that while all proposed detection schemes measure Kerr effects, only those with polarizing beam splitters allow measuring the Kerr rotation directly when no modulator is included. This accommodates, for instance, time-resolved measurements at relatively low laser pulse repetition rates. Ultrafast demagnetization measurements are presented as an example of such applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Légaré
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications (INRS-EMT), 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec J3X1P7, Canada
| | - Valentin Chardonnet
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, LCPMR, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Marcel Hennes
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, LCPMR, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Renaud Delaunay
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, LCPMR, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Lassonde
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications (INRS-EMT), 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec J3X1P7, Canada
| | - François Légaré
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications (INRS-EMT), 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec J3X1P7, Canada
| | - Guillaume Lambert
- Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, ENSTA Paris, CNRS, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 828 Boulevard des Maréchaux, Palaiseau Cedex 91762, France
| | - Emmanuelle Jal
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, LCPMR, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Boris Vodungbo
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, LCPMR, 75005 Paris, France
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Kempf M, Schubert A, Schwartz R, Korn T. Two-color Kerr microscopy of two-dimensional materials with sub-picosecond time resolution. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2021; 92:113904. [PMID: 34852534 DOI: 10.1063/5.0058110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We present a two-color Kerr microscopy system based on two electronically synchronized erbium-fiber laser oscillators with independently tunable emission energies spanning most of the visible spectrum. Combining a spatial resolution below 2 μm and sub-ps time resolution with high sensitivity and cryogenic sample temperatures, it is ideally suited for studying spin and valley dynamics in a wide range of two-dimensional materials. We illustrate its capabilities by studying a monolayer of the common semiconducting transition metal disulfide MoS2.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kempf
- Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - A Schubert
- Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - R Schwartz
- Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - T Korn
- Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
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Janda T, Nádvorník L, Kuchařík J, Butkovičová D, Schmoranzerová E, Trojánek F, Němec P. Voigt effect-based wide-field magneto-optical microscope integrated in a pump-probe experimental setup. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2018; 89:073703. [PMID: 30068140 DOI: 10.1063/1.5023183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we describe an experimental setup for a spatially resolved pump-probe experiment with an integrated wide-field magneto-optical (MO) microscope. The MO microscope can be used to study ferromagnetic materials with both perpendicular-to-plane and in-plane magnetic anisotropy via polar Kerr and Voigt effects, respectively. The functionality of the Voigt effect-based microscope was tested using an in-plane magnetized ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As. It was revealed that the presence of mechanical defects in the (Ga,Mn)As epilayer alters significantly the magnetic anisotropy in their proximity. The importance of MO experiments with simultaneous temporal and spatial resolutions was demonstrated using a (Ga,Mn)As sample attached to a piezoelectric transducer, which produces a voltage-controlled strain. We observed a considerably different behavior in different parts of the sample that enabled us to identify sample parts where the epilayer magnetic anisotropy was significantly modified by the presence of the piezoelectric transducer and where it was not. Finally, we discuss the possible applicability of our experimental setup for the research of compensated antiferromagnets, where only MO effects even in magnetic moments are present.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Janda
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - L Nádvorník
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i., Cukrovarnická 10, 162 53 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - J Kuchařík
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - D Butkovičová
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - E Schmoranzerová
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - F Trojánek
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - P Němec
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic
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Lange M, Guénon S, Lever F, Kleiner R, Koelle D. A high-resolution combined scanning laser and widefield polarizing microscope for imaging at temperatures from 4 K to 300 K. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2017; 88:123705. [PMID: 29289195 DOI: 10.1063/1.5009529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Polarized light microscopy, as a contrast-enhancing technique for optically anisotropic materials, is a method well suited for the investigation of a wide variety of effects in solid-state physics, as, for example, birefringence in crystals or the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE). We present a microscopy setup that combines a widefield microscope and a confocal scanning laser microscope with polarization-sensitive detectors. By using a high numerical aperture objective, a spatial resolution of about 240 nm at a wavelength of 405 nm is achieved. The sample is mounted on a 4He continuous flow cryostat providing a temperature range between 4 K and 300 K, and electromagnets are used to apply magnetic fields of up to 800 mT with variable in-plane orientation and 20 mT with out-of-plane orientation. Typical applications of the polarizing microscope are the imaging of the in-plane and out-of-plane magnetization via the longitudinal and polar MOKE, imaging of magnetic flux structures in superconductors covered with a magneto-optical indicator film via the Faraday effect, or imaging of structural features, such as twin-walls in tetragonal SrTiO3. The scanning laser microscope furthermore offers the possibility to gain local information on electric transport properties of a sample by detecting the beam-induced voltage change across a current-biased sample. This combination of magnetic, structural, and electric imaging capabilities makes the microscope a viable tool for research in the fields of oxide electronics, spintronics, magnetism, and superconductivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Lange
- Physikalisches Institut-Experimentalphysik II and Center for Quantum Science (CQ) in LISA, Universität Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - S Guénon
- Physikalisches Institut-Experimentalphysik II and Center for Quantum Science (CQ) in LISA, Universität Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - F Lever
- Physikalisches Institut-Experimentalphysik II and Center for Quantum Science (CQ) in LISA, Universität Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - R Kleiner
- Physikalisches Institut-Experimentalphysik II and Center for Quantum Science (CQ) in LISA, Universität Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - D Koelle
- Physikalisches Institut-Experimentalphysik II and Center for Quantum Science (CQ) in LISA, Universität Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Fischer MC, Wilson JW, Robles FE, Warren WS. Invited Review Article: Pump-probe microscopy. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2016; 87:031101. [PMID: 27036751 PMCID: PMC4798998 DOI: 10.1063/1.4943211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Multiphoton microscopy has rapidly gained popularity in biomedical imaging and materials science because of its ability to provide three-dimensional images at high spatial and temporal resolution even in optically scattering environments. Currently the majority of commercial and home-built devices are based on two-photon fluorescence and harmonic generation contrast. These two contrast mechanisms are relatively easy to measure but can access only a limited range of endogenous targets. Recent developments in fast laser pulse generation, pulse shaping, and detection technology have made accessible a wide range of optical contrasts that utilize multiple pulses of different colors. Molecular excitation with multiple pulses offers a large number of adjustable parameters. For example, in two-pulse pump-probe microscopy, one can vary the wavelength of each excitation pulse, the detection wavelength, the timing between the excitation pulses, and the detection gating window after excitation. Such a large parameter space can provide much greater molecular specificity than existing single-color techniques and allow for structural and functional imaging without the need for exogenous dyes and labels, which might interfere with the system under study. In this review, we provide a tutorial overview, covering principles of pump-probe microscopy and experimental setup, challenges associated with signal detection and data processing, and an overview of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin C Fischer
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Jesse W Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Francisco E Robles
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Warren S Warren
- Departments of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Physics, and Radiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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