Soft X-ray magnetic scattering as a probe of recording media

X-ray resonant magnetic scattering study of magnetic stripe domains ina−GdFethin films

“…New techniques that exploit the strong magneto-optical contrast at certain x-ray absorption transitions are making strong contributions to magnetic structure research: transmission x-ray microscopy ͑TXM͒ 2-4 and photoelectron emission microscopy ͑PEEM͒ [5][6][7][8] are now able to image magnetic structures with resolutions in the 10 nm range. X-ray resonant magnetic scattering ͑XRMS͒, [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] on the other hand, probes the magnetic structure in Fourier space and provides the ensemble averaged properties of the magnetic structure. In this paper we discuss new aspects of x-ray resonant magnetic scattering in a detailed analysis of data on the evolution of stripe domains in amorphous GdFe films under perpendicularly applied magnetic fields.…”

Contribution of synchrotron radiation to small-angle X-ray scattering studies in hard condensed matter

“…Stability is essential: machine and optics stabilities are already excellent, but unknown systematic errors may subsist. We also expect that giant magnetic scattering, a resonance near the L edges in transition metals or near M edges in heavy elements, will develop, allowing comparison between magnetic domains and chemical domains (Kortright et al, 2005;Fullerton et al, 2003). Finally, since many of the difficult problems in materials and hard condensed matter sciences will never be solved by one experimental technique alone, the micrometre-sized spatial resolution of future SAXS synchrotron beamlines, comparable to the definition of light microscopes or of scanning electron microscopes, will allow outstanding combined experiments.…”

Resonant Soft X‐Ray Techniques to Resolve Nanoscale Magnetism

“…While the transmission geometry is optimized to study magnetic structure in films with perpendicular anisotropy because of its overwhelming sensitivity to the m x component, reduced magnetic sensitivity exists even when M is confined to the plane of the film as in Figure 14b [90,91,92]. Recording media films are often termed granular alloy films because they are designed to chemically phase separate into nanometer scale grains whose centers are magnetic and whose grain boundaries are nominally non-magnetic.…”