A laser beam is directed through a transmissive axicon telescope or a reflective axicon telescope such as in a magneto-optic Kerr effect metrology system. With the transmissive axicon telescope, a Gaussian beam profile is directed through a first axicon lens and a second axicon lens. The first axicon lens and second axicon lens transfer the Gaussian beam profile of the laser beam to a hollowed laser ring. The laser beam with a hollowed laser ring can be directed through a Schwarzschild reflective objective. With the reflective axicon telescope, the laser beam is directed through two conical mirrors that are fully reflective. One of the conical mirrors defines a central hole that the laser beam passes through.

In an image acquisition system, a distortion distribution is easily measured in a wide range. A standard image of magnetic domain of a sample serving as a standard is acquired by radiation of light using a standard external magnetic field which serves as a standard, a plurality of magnetic domain images are acquired in a state where an external magnetic field is applied while being changed, a plurality of subtraction images obtained by subtracting the standard image of magnetic domain from each of the plurality of magnetic domain images are acquired, a magnetization reversal area in which a magnetic domain is reversed is extracted from each of the plurality of subtraction images, and a composite image having a plurality of magnetization reversal areas is acquired by compositing the plurality of subtraction images each having the magnetization reversal area.

A magneto-optical measurement apparatus includes a light source, a thin-film sensor including a magnetic film and reflecting light from the light source, a magnetic field generation device applying a magnetic field to the thin-film sensor, and a controller. The magnetic field generation device is configured to alternately supply a positive magnetic field and a negative magnetic field to the thin-film sensor. The controller is configured to measure the amount of light reflected by the thin-film sensor under the positive magnetic field, measure the amount of light reflected by the thin-film sensor under the negative magnetic field, determine one or more regression formulae from the values measured under the positive magnetic field and the values measured under the negative magnetic field, and determine a predetermined output value based on the one or more regression formulae.

A magnetic property measuring system includes a stage configured to hold a sample and a magnetic structure disposed over the stage. The stage includes a body part, a magnetic part adjacent the body part, and a plurality of holes defined in the body part. The magnetic part of the stage and the magnetic structure are configured to apply a magnetic field, which is perpendicular to one surface of the sample, to the sample. The stage is configured to move horizontally in an x-direction and a y-direction which are parallel to the one surface of the sample.

A magnetic property measuring system may include a stage configured to load a sample and to rotate the sample about a rotation axis such that the stage rotates the sample by a rotation angle, the rotation axis extending normal to a top surface of the sample. The magnetic property measuring system may further include a polarizer having a first polarization axis, and an analyzer having a second polarization axis. The polarizer and the analyzer may enable the first and second polarization axes to be independently rotated based on the rotation angle of the sample.

A method for measuring magnetic characteristics is the method including applying a first magnetic field to a continuously moving magnetic recording medium to magnetically saturate the magnetic recording medium, applying a first polarized light to a surface of the magnetic recording medium to which the first magnetic field is being applied, and measuring a light polarization state of a first reflected light that is reflected, applying a second magnetic field having an opposite direction of the first magnetic field to the continuously moving magnetic recording medium to magnetically saturate the magnetic recording medium, applying a second polarized light to the surface of the magnetic recording medium to which the second magnetic field is being applied, and measuring a light polarization state of a second reflected light that is reflected, applying a third magnetic field having an opposite direction of the second magnetic field to the continuously moving magnetic recording medium, applying a third polarized light to the surface of the magnetic recording medium to which the third magnetic field is being applied, and measuring a light polarization state of a third reflected light that is reflected, and adjusting a strength of the third magnetic field so that a measurement value of the light polarization state of the third reflected light is a mean value of a measurement value of the light polarization state of the first reflected light and a measurement value of the light polarization state of the second reflected light, and obtaining the strength of the third magnetic field when the measurement value of the light polarization state of the third reflected light becomes equal to the mean value.

A metrology tool includes a magnet to generate a magnetic field and a stage system to position a plurality of MRAM dies on an MRAM wafer in the magnetic field. The stage system includes a chuck on which to mount the MRAM wafer. The metrology tool further includes optics to provide a laser beam and direct the laser beam to be incident upon respective MRAM dies positioned in the magnetic field. The metrology tool additionally includes a detector to receive the laser beam as reflected by the respective MRAM dies and to measure rotation of the polarization of the reflected laser beam. The metrology tool is configurable to provide each MRAM die on the MRAM wafer with a common orientation with respect to the polarization of the laser beam.

A magnetic property measuring system includes a stage configured to hold a sample and a magnetic structure disposed over the stage. The stage includes a body part, a magnetic part adjacent the body part, and a plurality of holes defined in the body part. The magnetic part of the stage and the magnetic structure are configured to apply a magnetic field, which is perpendicular to one surface of the sample, to the sample. The stage is configured to move horizontally in an x-direction and a y-direction which are parallel to the one surface of the sample.

A laser beam is directed through a transmissive axicon telescope or a reflective axicon telescope such as in a magneto-optic Kerr effect metrology system. With the transmissive axicon telescope, a Gaussian beam profile is directed through a first axicon lens and a second axicon lens. The first axicon lens and second axicon lens transfer the Gaussian beam profile of the laser beam to a hollowed laser ring. The laser beam with a hollowed laser ring can be directed through a Schwarzschild reflective objective. With the reflective axicon telescope, the laser beam is directed through two conical mirrors that are fully reflective. One of the conical mirrors defines a central hole that the laser beam passes through.

A magnetic property measuring system includes a stage configured to hold a sample and a magnetic structure disposed over the stage. The stage includes a body part, a magnetic part adjacent the body part, and a plurality of holes defined in the body part. The magnetic part of the stage and the magnetic structure are configured to apply a magnetic field, which is perpendicular to one surface of the sample, to the sample. The stage is configured to move horizontally in an x-direction and a y-direction which are parallel to the one surface of the sample.