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Magnetic imaging with full-field soft X-ray microscopy

  • P. Fischer EMAIL logo , T. Eimüller , D. Goll , H. Stoll , A. Puzic , G. Schütz and G. Denbeaux
Published/Copyright: January 31, 2022
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International Journal of Materials Research
From the journal International Journal of Materials Research Volume 93 Issue 5

Abstract

The current achievements in magnetic transmission soft X-ray microscopy are reviewed. The magnetic contrast is given by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (X-MCD), i. e., the dependence of the absorption coefficient of circularly polarized X-rays on the projection of the magnetization in a ferromagnetic system onto the photon propagation direction. X-MCD contrast can reach, e. g., at L2,3 edges in transition metals large values up to 50%. Combined with a soft X-ray microscope where Fresnel zone plates as optical elements provide a lateral resolution down to 25 nm, it allows for imaging magnetic microstructures. Recording the images in varying external magnetic fields, inherent chemical specificity, a high sensitivity to thin magnetic layers due to the large contrast, and the possibility to distinguish between in-plane and out-of plane contributions allow detailed studies of static magnetization reversal processes in magnetic patterned elements and thin films. Micromagnetic simulations support the experimental findings. The broad applicability of this novel experimental technique to both fundamental and technologically relevant issues in nanomagnetism is demonstrated by selected examples. Future directions towards imaging spin dynamics on a psec time scale are briefly outlined.

Abstract

In diesem Bericht wird der gegenwärtige Stand der magnetischen Transmissions-Röntgenmikroskopie mit weicher Röntgenstrahlung dargestellt. Magnetischer Kontrast wird durch den zirkularen magnetischen Röntgendichroismus (X-MCD), d. h. durch die Abhängigkeit des Absorptionskoeffizienten zirkular polarisierter Röntgenstrahlung von der Projektion der Magnetisierung einer ferromagnetischen Probe auf die Photonenausbreitungsrichtung erzeugt. Der Zirkulardichroismus kann an den L2,3-Kanten der Übergangsmetalle Werte von bis zu 50% erreichen. In Kombination mit einem Röntgenmikroskop, das im weichen Röntgenbereich mit Hilfe von Fresnelzonenplatten, die als optische Elemente eingesetzt werden, eine laterale Auflösung bis zu 25 nm erreicht, kann man so magnetische Mikrostrukturen abbilden. Die Möglichkeit, diese in veränderlichen externen Magnetfeldern aufzunehmen, die inhärente chemische Spezifität, die hohe Sensitivität auf dünne magnetische Schichten auf Grund des großen Kontrastes und die Möglichkeit, Magnetisierungen zu beobachten, die sowohl in der Filmebene als auch senkrecht dazu orientiert sind, erlauben es, detaillierte Studien des statischen Magnetisierungsumkehrprozesses in lateral strukturierten und dünnen magnetischen Schichten durchzuführen. Mikromagnetische Simulationsrechnungen unterstutzen die experimentellen Befunde. Die Bandbreite der Anwendungen dieser neuartigen experimentellen Technik, die sowohl grundlagenorientierte als auch technologisch relevante Fragestellungen des „Nanomagnetismus“ untersuchen kann, wird anhand ausgewählter Beispiele demonstriert. Zukünftige Entwicklungen, die auf das Abbilden der Spindynamik auf einer sub-ns-Zeitskala abzielen, werden kurz erläutert.

Keywords: X-ray magnetic circular dichroism; Soft X-ray microscopy; Magnetic domain structures; Micromagnetism; Spin dynamics
Dr. Peter Fischer Max Planck Institute for Metals Research Heisenbergstr. 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany Tel: +49 711 689 1811 Fax: +49 711 689 1952

  1. We like to thank B. Ludescher (Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Stuttgart), T. Ono, T. Okuno and T. Shinjo (University of Kyoto), and the group of G. Bayreuther and D. Weiss (University of Regensburg) for preparing excellent samples. Supported in part by the German Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy.

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Received: 2002-02-26
Published Online: 2022-01-31

© 2002 Carl Hanser Verlag, München

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. Editorial
  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung
  5. Articles/Aufsätze
  6. Towards a micromechanical understanding of biological surface devices
  7. Solid state phase transformation kinetics: a modular transformation model
  8. Electronic structure investigations of Ni and Cr films on (100)SrTiO3 substrates using electron energy-loss spectroscopy
  9. Surface magnetization reversal of sputtered CrO2
  10. Magnetic imaging with full-field soft X-ray microscopy
  11. Dislocation dynamics in sub-micron confinement: recent progress in Cu thin film plasticity
  12. Fatigue behavior of polycrystalline thin copper films
  13. Grain growth in magnetron-sputtered nickel films
  14. Thin Pd films on SrTiO3 (001) substrates: ab initio local-density-functional theory
  15. Coupled grain boundary and surface diffusion in a polycrystalline thin film constrained by substrate
  16. Gallium segregation at grain boundaries in aluminium
  17. Current work at the Stuttgart UHV diffusion bonding facility
  18. Bonding between Cu and α-Al2O3
  19. Compressive deformation of niobium sandwich-bonded to alumina
  20. SiO2-coated carbon nanotubes: theory and experiment
  21. Simulation of solidification structures of binary alloys
  22. Gaseous nitriding of iron-chromium alloys
  23. Deposition of ceramic materials from aqueous solution induced by organic templates
  24. Notifications/Mitteilungen
  25. Personen
  26. Books
  27. Information
  28. DGM Further Training
https://doi.org/10.3139/ijmr-2002-0066
Keywords for this article
X-ray magnetic circular dichroism; Soft X-ray microscopy; Magnetic domain structures; Micromagnetism; Spin dynamics

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. Editorial
  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung
  5. Articles/Aufsätze
  6. Towards a micromechanical understanding of biological surface devices
  7. Solid state phase transformation kinetics: a modular transformation model
  8. Electronic structure investigations of Ni and Cr films on (100)SrTiO3 substrates using electron energy-loss spectroscopy
  9. Surface magnetization reversal of sputtered CrO2
  10. Magnetic imaging with full-field soft X-ray microscopy
  11. Dislocation dynamics in sub-micron confinement: recent progress in Cu thin film plasticity
  12. Fatigue behavior of polycrystalline thin copper films
  13. Grain growth in magnetron-sputtered nickel films
  14. Thin Pd films on SrTiO3 (001) substrates: ab initio local-density-functional theory
  15. Coupled grain boundary and surface diffusion in a polycrystalline thin film constrained by substrate
  16. Gallium segregation at grain boundaries in aluminium
  17. Current work at the Stuttgart UHV diffusion bonding facility
  18. Bonding between Cu and α-Al2O3
  19. Compressive deformation of niobium sandwich-bonded to alumina
  20. SiO2-coated carbon nanotubes: theory and experiment
  21. Simulation of solidification structures of binary alloys
  22. Gaseous nitriding of iron-chromium alloys
  23. Deposition of ceramic materials from aqueous solution induced by organic templates
  24. Notifications/Mitteilungen
  25. Personen
  26. Books
  27. Information
  28. DGM Further Training
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