Imaging of magnetic domains by transmission x-ray microscopy

The combination of the high-resolution transmission x-ray microscope (TXM) based on the zone plate technique with the x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (X-MCD) providing a huge magnetic contrast is a new technique to image magnetic domain structures. It is inherently element specific and contains information on the local spin and orbital moments of the absorbing species that can be obtained by applying magneto-optical sum rules. A lateral spatial resolution depending on the quality of the zone plates down to 30 nm can be achieved. We report on first results at the Fe L-3,L-2 edges of Fe both in amorphous and in multilayered Gd-Fe systems. With a TXM set-up at BESSY I adapted to record magnetic images in varying magnetic fields the evolution of magnetic domains within a complete hysteresis loop and magnetic aftereffects have been studied.