Nanomagnetic Imaging

The microscopic arrangement of the magnetic structure within a thin metal film plays a fundamental role in many technological applications ranging from information storage in computer hard drives to anti-lock brake sensors in automobiles.  NIST researchers have developed a technique, called scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA), that can reveal the magnetic structure of such materials with nanoscale resolution and without disturbing the magnetization.  The technology is useful for understanding and developing a wide range of electronics systems that rely on magnetic properties in addition to electric charge to process and store information.