We discuss maximization of the sensitivity of magneto-optical detection of single nanomagnets. We show that a combination of optimized dielectric coating on the magnets with an antireflection coated substrate can increase the areal magneto-optic sensitivity by about three orders of magnitude in the deep nanometer range. A dual layer nanofabrication process is developed to implement this approach, and magnetization switching of single nickel nanomagnets with 50 nm diameter is demonstrated.
(c) 2007 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Applied Physics Letters and may be found at http://link.aip.org/link/?APPLAB/90/252504/1 ;