Researchers from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, the University of Maryland, and NIST have made a breakthrough in measuring magnetic properties at the edges of nanoscale devices. Using a technique called ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy, they were able to detect variations in magnetic resonance along the edge of a 500 nm-diameter disk with unprecedented 100 nm resolution.
The technique works by exciting a magnetic resonance in the sample using an external microwave field, causing the magnetization to precess like a spinning top. This precession creates a detectable change in the magnetic force between the sample and a nearby magnetic tip. By applying the external field in different directions, the researchers were able to map out variations in magnetic properties along the edge of the disk.
This development could enable more detailed measurements of individual magnetic nanodevices, providing valuable information about their properties and potential defects. The ability to precisely measure magnetic variations at the nanoscale is crucial for advancing the performance and reliability of magnetic memory cells and other nanodevices.
Keywords: Nanodevices, Magnetic resonance, Ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy, Magnetization, Edge mode
