Studies in The Characterisation of Magnetic Force Microscope Probe

A magnetically coated tip is a fundamental part of the MFM instrument. These tips’ are bought commercially and/or individually manufactured in various shapes and sizes and with various material coatings and thicknesses. The sheer extent of possible combinations and the lack of a truly standard and reproducible tip is perhaps, one of the major contributing factors that prevent a complete understanding of the instrument and its characteristics and a full comprehension of how the tip interacts with a sample. While the MFM instrument is capable of generating qualitative images, a full metrological characterisation of its magnetic probe is one of the major concerns.
In this research project, the practical implications of a diagnostic sample in the form of a simple geometrical wire structure have been demonstrated. With the aid of mathematical modelling, the understanding of the interaction between the tip and the sample is improved. In addition, this research explored the effects of systematic reduction of a tip’s magnetic volume and its resulting images. It highlighted the significance of magnetic volume in image capture and provided a comprehensive quantitative insight in image type, reproducibility and quality. This project thus represents a further step towards the characterisation of MFM probes, which has the potential for ultimately benefitting the nano-magneto-electronic and data storage industry.