Magnetic Force (MFM) Imaging
MFM Using Interleave Scanning and LiftMode
Rev. B
MultiMode SPM Instruction Manual
227
Figure 13.1b
Basic Extender for NanoScope III, IIIa and Quadrex Extender for NanoScope IIIa Controllers
(required for MFM phase detection and frequency modulation)
13.2 MFM Using Interleave Scanning and LiftMode
This section provides instructions for using the
LiftMode
of Interleave scanning to obtain MFM
images. These guidelines will help in obtaining an MFM image of a standard magnetic sample
(metal-evaporated video tape). Standard tape samples are provided with purchase of MFM probes,
and can be obtained free of charge from Veeco. Other samples can also be used; however, you will
not have the bene
fi
t of comparing your results with the images shown here. Obtaining a good image
of the tape sample will familiarize you with Interleave and MFM techniques and provide a check
that the system is correctly tuned to image magnetic samples of interest. Many of the principles
discussed here also apply to Electric Force Microscopy (EFM), described in
.
For MFM procedures, magnetic coated tips are required. Various kinds of MFM probes are
available for speci
fi
c applications; contact Veeco for more information. The remainder of this
chapter assumes that the reader is familiar with the operation of TappingMode to obtain
topographical images of a sample surface and has read the description of Interleave scanning in
their manual.
LiftMode
allows the imaging of relatively weak but long-range magnetic interactions while
minimizing the in
fl
uence of topography (
). Measurements are taken in two passes
across each scan line; each pass consists of one trace and one retrace. In the
fi
rst pass, topographical
data is taken in TappingMode on one trace and retrace. The tip is then raised to the lift scan height
and a second trace and retrace performed while maintaining a constant separation between the tip
and local surface topography. Magnetic interactions are detected during this second pass. Using
LiftMode, topographical features are virtually absent from the MFM image (see
).
The procedure below gives suggested parameter values that should work well for most applications.
Further adjustment will, in some cases, improve the quality of MFM scans, and some
experimentation may be needed to optimize the imaging of speci
fi
c samples. See the suggestions at
the end of this section.
As mentioned above, the NanoScope controllers use force gradient detection for MFM imaging.
Within this general technique, there are three possible schemes, known as frequency modulation,
phase detection, and amplitude detection. Phase detection and frequency modulation are available
034
Basic Extender
Quadrex Extender