Magnetic imaging by atomic force microscope (invited) (abstract)

• Published in: Journal of applied physics 1988-04, Vol.63 (8), p.2947-2947
• Main Authors: Grütter, P., Meyer, E., Heinzelmann, H., Rosenthaler, L., Hidber, H. R., Güntherodt, H.-J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.340936

A new method of imaging the surface of magnetic samples on a submicron scale is described and the observation of magnetic domain walls is presented. Measurements in air on a Co-Ni recording media, polycrystalline Ni foil and rapidly quenched alloys are shown. This magnetic microscope is based on the idea of measuring magnetic forces with the recently developed atomic force microscope (AFM). Forces acting on a tip are recorded by the measurement of the deflection of a lever to which this tip is attached. In order to measure ultra small forces (less than nN), the spring constant of the lever has to be small and the deflection of the lever has to be measured with great sensitivity, i.e., by using interferometry or scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The lever is made from ferromagnetic Ni foil with an integrated, electrochemically etched tip. Different measuring modes of the AFM are described. The images obtained by the AFM using a para- or ferromagnetic tip and by the STM are compared. Furthermore, the results obtained by the magnetic AFM on Co-Ni recording media are compared with previous studies by scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA).