Low-temperature, high-resolution magnetic force microscopy using a quartz tuning fork

TL;DR

This paper presents a low-temperature magnetic force microscope using a quartz tuning fork, achieving high spatial and force resolution, suitable for operation in magnetic fields and potentially at millikelvin temperatures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel low-temperature MFM design with a quartz tuning fork, enabling high-resolution imaging with minimal power dissipation.

Findings

Achieved 15 nm spatial resolution at 4.2 K

Force resolution of 2 pN

Operates in magnetic fields with potential for millikelvin use

Abstract

We have developed a low temperature, high resolution magnetic force microscope (MFM) using a quartz tuning fork that can operate in a magnetic field. A tuning fork with a spring constant of 1300 N/m mounted with a commercial MFM cantilever tip was used. We have obtained high resolution images of the stray magnetic fields exerted from grains with a spatial resolution of 15 nm and force resolution of 2 pN at 4.2 K. Tuning fork based magnetic force microscopes have the potential to be used at millikelvin temperatures due to their low power dissipation and high force sensitivity.