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Imaging of magnetic domains with the X-ray microscope at BESSY using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

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Zeitschrift für Physik B Condensed Matter

Abstract

X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (X-MCD), i.e. the change of the absorption of circular polarized Xrays for reversed sample magnetization amounts at the L2, 3-edges of 3d transition metals up to 50% percent. This can be used to obtain in energy-dispersive X-ray imaging techniques a considerable, element-specific magnetic contrast. On the other hand, with the transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) based on the zone-plate technique spatial resolutions of 30nm can be achieved. In this communication it is shown for the first time that the combination of the TXM with XMCD provides a huge contrast and is therefore a powerful new method to visualize in a quantitative and elementspecific manner magnetic domains. Using soft X-rays with a wavelength of 1:7nm corresponding to the energy of the Fe L3-edge the variation of the shape and magnetization of domains in a magneto-optical GdFe layer system was studied with a lateral resolution of 60nm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Experimental Physik II, Universität Augsburg, Memmingerstrasse 6, D-86135, Augsburg, Germany

    P. Fischer & G. Schütz

  2. Forschungseinrichtung Röntgenphysik, Universität Göttingen, Geiststrasse 11, D-37073, Göttingen, Germany

    G. Schmahl & P. Guttmann

  3. Philips Res. Lab., Weißhausstrasse 2, D-52066, Aachen, Germany

    D. Raasch

Authors
  1. P. Fischer
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  2. G. Schütz
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  3. G. Schmahl
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  4. P. Guttmann
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  5. D. Raasch
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Fischer, P., Schütz, G., Schmahl, G. et al. Imaging of magnetic domains with the X-ray microscope at BESSY using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Z. Phys. B 101, 313–316 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002570050214

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002570050214

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