Magneto-optical imaging using liquid crystal modulator

Magneto-optical (MO) imaging of a Bi:YIG film was carried out using a liquid crystal (LC) as an optical modulator. Magnetic domain structure indicating a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is clearly observed in a Faraday image of the film. An ellipticity image is also obtained from the same three images used for the Faraday images. This result shows a possibility of a real time MO imaging using LCM device.