Hello everyone, My name is Tuhin. I have just started my research carrier in the field of experimental condensed matter physics, especially in Magnetism. As I am very much new in this field, I do not know much about some experimental techniques, especially about MOKE (Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect). When I started to go through some journals, I have come to know that for MOKE measurements, we need thin films. So now my question is "Can we use a single or polycrystalline sample for MOKE measurements or do we have to use only thin films" ???
The magneto-optical Kerr effect describes polarization changes of reflected light. For this you want to have a surface that reflects light like a mirror. This does not mean that you need a thin film. There are many publications using MOKE on bulk samples, where a surface has been prepared by polishing, etching, or cleaving. However, by those methods you potentially change the bulk properties in the probed volume. You also have to consider that the probing depth of MOKE is roughly a quarter of the wavelength of light that you are using. As a consequence you will not probe the bulk magnetization of your sample, in contrast to the cse of thin films.
Thank you Prof H.J. Elmers for sharing this idea. So basically I need a clean, rough-less surface.
1). Can I use a single crystal whose size is almost 2-3 mm??
2). You have said that the probing depth of MOKE is roughly a quarter of the wavelength of light that is used.. here what do mean by probing depth ??
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