A novel method for capturing and characterizing high-temperature phases of metallic-alloys in thin-film composition spreads has been developed. A high-vacuum (10(-8) Torr) high-temperature annealing and quenching furnace system has been developed that allows formation of high-temperature phases in thin-film composition-spread samples deposited on 3 in. silicon wafers. Scanning SQUID microscopy and magnetooptical Kerr effect measurements were used to map the remnant magnetization and the hysteresis loops of the spreads of magnetic materials quenched at high temperatures. The combination of these techniques can be used to obtain comprehensive information on the magnetic properties of various metallic-alloy systems. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.