Dynamic thermal profiling in magneto-optic recording thin films

The thermal behavior of magneto-optic thin films is critical to their performance. The determination of thermal profiles which result in magneto-optic thin films when they are being written has up to now been limited to theoretical calculations occasionally matched against the thresholds for writing domains into the films. Such ‘‘switching temperature’’ experimental data is of limited use due to the dependence of magnetic domain shape, size, and placement on much more than just a simple isotherm location. Through the use of a high-speed (10-ns time resolution) observation system developed for examining dynamic magnetic processes in magneto-optic materials, the thermal profiles created in these films were observed as the profiles developed during the application of laser heating pulses. Images of the profiles caused by both static and scanning laser pulses are shown. Comparison of static pulse data with theoretical computations indicates that the thermal conductivity of these magneto-optic films is approximately an order of magnitude below the bulk value.