Magnetic Force Microscopy for Nanoparticle Characterization

Abstract

Since the invention of the atomic force microscope (AFM) in 1986, there has been a drive to apply this scanning probe technique or a form of this technique to various disciplines in nanoscale science. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) is a member of a growing family of scanning probe methods and has been widely used for the study of magnetic materials. In MFM a magnetic probe is used to raster-scan the surface of the sample, of which its magnetic field interacts with the magnetic tip to offer insight into its magnetic properties. This review will focus on the use of MFM in relation to nanoparticle characterization, including superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, covering MFM imaging in air and in liquid environments.

Characterization techniques for nanoparticles: comparison and complementarity upon studying nanoparticle properties

“…Furthermore, it can provide a resolution down to less than 10 nm. 536 Neves et al published a paper on how MFM can be used to discriminate between magnetic and nonmagnetic NPs. MFM can detect and localize the magnetic fields arising from nanoscopic magnetic domains, such as magnetic NPs.…”

Measurements of the magnetic properties of conduction electrons

“…Since the first realization of the magnetic force microscope in 1987 [201] a great number of MFM designs have been developed and described in detail in literature [201][202][203]. To date, they have become common in laboratory practice and are commercially available as an option to the atomic force microscopes (AFM) [204].…”

Nanoscale Magnetic Properties of Additively Manufactured FeCoNiAlxMnx High-Entropy Alloys

“…Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) [10][11][12][13] is another technique used in this work. It is a nanoscale technique allowing imaging magnetic properties of the samples with a magnetized tip, which is scanned above their surface.…”

“…It is a nanoscale technique allowing imaging magnetic properties of the samples with a magnetized tip, which is scanned above their surface. To distinguish between magnetic and van der Waals forces, which are also acting to the tip at small distances, a two-pass tapping mode scanning technique was recently developed [10,11]. In the first pass, topography close to the surface is measured at a tip oscillations frequency of about 74 KHz.…”