A laser Doppler interferometric method using synchronous detection to
measure the magnetostriction of soft magnetic films is described. The
instrument has measured 2 angstrom magnetostrictive deflections of per
malloy films on 500 mum silicon substrates. Saturation magnetostrictio
n of 10(-9) can be measured for 1000 nm films on 100 mum Si substrates
. The ultimate resolution of the interferometer is 0.1 angstrom as dem
onstrated using piezo-electrically-driven mirrors.