Researchers from NIST, KTH Stockholm, and the University of Maryland have developed a new microscopy technique called ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy (FMRFM) to image defects in magnetic nanostructures. This method combines the scanned-probe capabilities of magnetic force microscopy with ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect both geometrical and magnetic defects in buried nanodevices.
The technique was used to image an array of magnetic nanostructures with intentionally introduced shape-related defects. FMRFM was able to resolve differences between nominally identical circular dots in the array, demonstrating its ability to detect variations in magnetic properties at the nanoscale.
The researchers are working to improve the sensitivity and spatial resolution of FMRFM with the goal of enabling wafer-level metrology for future spintronic devices. This development is important for advancing information storage technologies that rely on electron spin states for data transmission and storage.
Keywords: Atomic Force Microscopy, Magnetic Properties, Spintronics, Spectroscopic Imaging, Metrology
