SCANNING LASER MICROSCOPY FOR EVALUATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF MAGNETO-OPTIC RECORDING MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS

The application of scanning laser microscopy to the characterisation of magneto-optic storage materials and to the evaluation of the performance of magneto-optic recording systems is described. Fundamental material properties such as Kerr rotation, reflectivity, coercivity and hysteresis loop shape are obtained, on a microscopic scale, for a variety of magneto-optic recording films. The recording behaviour of films is also investigated, and realistic, in-situ, annealing studies are performed to assess their long term stability. Optical system evaluation in terms of impulse response, step response, optical resolution and modulation transfer function is also carried out. Novel readout methods such as edge detection, confocal detection and super-resolution are investigated.