Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik

O 50: [MA] Joint Session "Surface Magnetism I" (jointly with O)

O 50.2: Talk

Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 16:15–16:30, BH 243

Possible detection of spin contrast on NiO(001) by AFM using a qPlus sensor with a bulk iron tip — •Florian Pielmeier and Franz J. Giessibl — Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany

Magnetic exchange force microscopy was first demonstrated with atomic resolution on the (001) surface of the antiferromagnetic insulator nickel oxide at low temperatures [1]. In order to detect spin contrast on NiO(001), the tips had to be magnetically polarized by an external field of 5 T [1-3].

Here, we observe spin contrast on NiO(001) at 4.3 K without an external field, using a bulk iron tip mounted on a qPlus sensor. However, magnetic contrast is only observed at a distance of about 10 pm further away than the distance where optimal chemical contrast is observed.

[1] U. Kaiser, A. Schwarz, R. Wiesendanger, Nature 446, 522 (2007)

[2] U. Kaiser, A. Schwarz, R. Wiesendanger, Phys. Rev. B 78, 104418 (2008)

[3] A. Schwarz, U. Kaiser, R. Wiesendanger, Nanotechnology 20, 264017 (2009)