Quantitative Observation of Magnetic Flux Distribution in New Magnetic Films for Future High Density Recording Media

TL;DR

This paper employs off-axis electron holography to quantitatively analyze the magnetic flux distribution in PMA thin films, revealing stable domain structures and enabling local magnetic moment measurements at nanometer scales.

Contribution

It introduces a method for detailed magnetic microstructure observation in PMA media, advancing understanding for high-density recording applications.

Findings

Stable up and down magnetic domains observed.

Stray magnetic fields close flux in vacuum.

Local magnetic moments measurable at nanometer scale.

Abstract

Off-axis electron holography was used to observe and quantify the magnetic microstructure of a perpendicular magnetic anisotropic (PMA) recording media. Thin foils of PMA materials exhibit an interesting up and down domain configuration. These domains are found to be very stable and were observed at the same time with their stray field, closing magnetic flux in the vacuum. The magnetic moment can thus be determined locally in a volume as small as few tens of cubic nanometers.