Resolution enhancement by applying MFM under UHV conditions

Author

Dreyer, Michael ; Gomez, Romel D. ; Mayergoyz, Isaak D.

Author_Institution

Lab. for Phys. Sci., College Park, MD, USA

Volume

36

Issue

5

fYear

2000

fDate

9/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2975

Lastpage

2977

Abstract

The enhancement in signal-to-noise ratio and lateral resolution in MFM in going from ambient pressure to UHV is demonstrated. The performance of several cantilevers is evaluated using a patterned 50 nm thick permalloy film, with cross-tie as well as ~90° domain walls, and a 200 nm thick permalloy film with perpendicular magnetization. The increase in the quality factor of the cantilever oscillation in UHV improves the sensitivity, consequently allowing less magnetic material on the tip to achieve the same signal-to-noise ratio. This reduction in magnetic volume sharpens the lateral resolution. We also demonstrate that the magnetic interaction can be so weak that a magnetic contrast is visible only under UHV conditions

Keywords

Permalloy; magnetic domain walls; magnetic force microscopy; magnetic thin films; magnetisation; MFM; NiFe; UHV conditions; cantilevers; domain walls; lateral resolution; magnetic contrast; magnetic force microscopy; magnetic volume; permalloy film; perpendicular magnetization; resolution enhancement; signal-to-noise ratio enhancement; Atomic force microscopy; Force measurement; Frequency measurement; Magnetic domain walls; Magnetic films; Magnetic force microscopy; Magnetization; Signal resolution; Signal to noise ratio; Spatial resolution;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.908645

Filename

908645