Hall sensors for magnetization loop determination in thin films

•A new method for M-H loop determination in thin films is presented.•The method is based on Hall sensor measurements.•In addition, MR measurements validate magnetic anisotropy in soft magnetic thin films. In this paper, a new method and technology to determine magnetization loops in thin films is demonstrated. The method is based on Hall sensor measurements set parallel to the thin film, which is magnetized using a Helmholtz pair coil set-up. The magnetic lines out of the thin films are measured by a Hall sensor, set parallel to the thin film. Provided that the shape of the thin film under test, preferably in the form of rectangle or circle, is well known with a length or diameter at least 100 times larger than its thickness, the precise determination of the magnetization loop of the film is possible with acceptable uncertainty, by means of calibrating the Hall sensor response with respect to the comparison with a standard method.