Optical imaging of magnetic domains in motion (invited)

We describe a laser magneto-optic microscope (LAMOM) system, used to observe magnetic domain dynamics in Permalloy thin-film devices. Optimization of Kerr magneto-optic contrast is achieved by using laser illumination in a polarized light microscope in combination with video image processing. High magnetic contrast, a diffraction-limited (0.25 μm) resolution, and motion picture recording capability at up to 30 frames/s are demonstrated by recent results.