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Magnetic Domain Imaging of Epitaxial thin Films by Spin-Polarized Scanning Electron Microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

R. Allenspach  and
M. Stampanoni
R. Allenspach
Affiliation:
IBM Research Division, Zurich Research Laboratory, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
M. Stampanoni
Affiliation:
IBM Research Division, Zurich Research Laboratory, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
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Abstract

The formation of magnetic domains in thin epitaxial Co/Au(111) films is investigated by spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy. Three-monolayer films are shown to decay into out-of-plane domains of micrometer size. The transition from out-of-plane to in-plane magnetization at a crossover thickness of 4.5 layers is followed by imaging the domains, and the transition is shown to occur as a continuous rotation of the magnetization. The domain size in field-free-grown perpendicular films depends linearly on film thickness. From high-resolution line scans across magnetization reversals we determine the resolution in magnetic imaging to be better than 40 nm.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 231: Symposium S – Magnetic Surfaces, Thin Films and Multilayers , 1991 , 17
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

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