Switchable-magnetization planar probe MFM sensor for imaging magnetic textures of complex metal oxide perovskite

Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 136

Abstract

We introduce an alternative method for switching-magnetization magnetic force microscopy that utilizes planar tip-on-chip probes. Unlike conventional needle-like tips, the planar probe technique incorporates a microdevice near the tip apex on a 1×1mm2 chip, which allows for thin-film engineering and micro/nano-customization aimed at application-specific tip functionalization. In this study, we establish a microscale current pathway near the tip end to manage the tip magnetization state. This planar probe was used to investigate the intricate disordered magnetic domain structure of an epitaxial thin film of the transition metal oxide perovskite LaMnO3, a material previously demonstrated to exhibit complex domains related to superparamagnetism, antiferromagnetism, and ferromagnetism. We successfully visualized an inhomogeneous distribution of magnetic islands near the Curie temperature, with a resolution exceeding 10nm.

Authors 8

1. Michael Verhage

   Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Eindhoven University of Technology—M2N 1 , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven,

2. H. Tunç Çiftçi

   Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (Netherlands) · Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   ARCNL, Contact Dynamics 2 , Amsterdam,

   Eindhoven University of Technology—FNA 3 , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven,

3. Michiel Reul Aachen Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik (Festkörperphysik) und II. Physikalisches Institut

   Eindhoven University of Technology · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Eindhoven University of Technology—M2N 1 , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven,

   Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik (Festkörperphysik) und II. Physikalisches Institut, RWTH Aachen University 4 , Aachen,

4. Tamar van Gardingen-Cromwijk

   Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (Netherlands) · Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   ARCNL, Computational Imaging 5 , Amsterdam,

   Eindhoven University of Technology—FNA 3 , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven,

5. T. J. N. van Stralen

   Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Eindhoven University of Technology—M2N 1 , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven,

6. B. Koopmans

   Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Eindhoven University of Technology—FNA 3 , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven,

7. O. Kurnosikov

   Institut Jean Lamour · Université de Lorraine

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour 6 , 54000 Nancy,

8. Kees Flipse

   Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Eindhoven University of Technology—M2N 1 , PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven,