This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project is aimed at bringing magnetic force microscopy (MFM) for the data storage and memory applications to the next level of imaging thus turning MFM into a critical tool in the emerging era of nanomagnetic and Spintronics applications. The research will integrate cost-effective focused ion beam (FIB) based fabrication methods with micromagnetic field simulations to develop custom probes with superior properties as compared to conventional MFM probes. The following two goals will be pursued. First, research will be conducted to develop FIB-modified probes with the spatial resolution as small as 5 nm at room temperature. For comparison, today, the feature size resolved with MFM spans from 30 to 60 nm while the resolution of AFM is of the order of 1 nm. Second, a method to improve the quality of the information measured by MFM will be developed. The new ultra-high-resolution MFM will be able to measure not only the strength (as in conventional MFM) but also components of the field along selected directions. Micromagnetic simulations and the principle of Reciprocity will be used to predict FIB-based modifications to MFM probes necessary to satisfy certain custom requirements specific to certain applications.
The span of MFM applications is truly diverse, from an accurate analysis of secret information by the FBI to a fundamental study of magnetostatic bacteria. Though all these applications will eventually benefit from this technology, the current emphasis will be placed on the magnetic data storage and memory applications where advancements in MFM could play a pivotal role in the development of next generation systems. Finally, the new ultra-high-resolution MFM could become a critical instrument for future Spintronics related applications. For example, the ability to provide unconventionally high resolution MFM images could shed light on the nanoscale properties of magnetic domains in the recording media and help the development of ultra-high density systems. As for the ability to measure the field orientation, this may become a truly unique imaging feature to characterize longitudinal and perpendicular magnetic storage media in which the stray field orientation represents the signature of each media type: the stray field measured from the bit transitions is predominantly perpendicular to the plane or along the track in longitudinal and perpendicular media, respectively. In summary, the proposed interdisciplinary integration approach may lead to the creation of ultra-high-resolution MFM with unique features critical for future data storage and memory related applications.
