Vector magneto-optical sensor based on transparent magnetic films with cubic crystallographic symmetry

Abstract

The concept of vector magneto-optical magnetometry is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The key element of the vector magnetometer is a transparent high Faraday activity magnetic film with a cubic crystal lattice. Magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the film leads to the three dimensional trajectory of the film magnetization when the magnetization is rotated by the control magnetic field. It makes the magnetization sensitive to all three components of the external magnetic field. This field can be found from the harmonic composition of the Faraday rotation dependence on the azimuth angle of the control magnetic field. The demonstrated vector magnetometer is promising for mapping and visualization of ultra small magnetic fields.