Scanning electron microscope with polarization analysis: Micromagnetic structures in ultrathin films

The basics of the scanning electron microscope with polarization analysis are presented and special features of the microscope are discussed. The spin polarization of the secondary electrons allows for a high contrast as the topography of the sample is strongly suppressed. The feature of the method is that the orientation of the magnetization is measured and used for domain imaging. For complex domain patterns that makes the interpretation easy and direct. Examples are shown how the high surface sensitivity is used for the investigation of all kind of samples. The decoration by a thin ferromagnetic film makes even contaminated and samples with strongly spoiled surfaces accessible for scanning electron microscope with polarization analysis (SEMPA) investigation. Recently, the magnetic resolution of SEMPA has been pushed into the range of a few nm. (C) 2002, American Vacuum Society.