High sensitivity piezomagnetic force microscopy for quantitative probing of magnetic materials at the nanoscale.

Accurate scanning probing of magnetic materials at the nanoscale is essential for developing and characterizing magnetic nanostructures, yet quantitative analysis is difficult using the state of the art magnetic force microscopy, and has limited spatial resolution and sensitivity. In this communication, we develop a novel piezomagnetic force microscopy (PmFM) technique, with the imaging principle based on the detection of magnetostrictive response excited by an external magnetic field. In combination with the dual AC resonance tracking (DART) technique, the contact stiffness and energy dissipation of the samples can be simultaneously mapped along with the PmFM phase and amplitude, enabling quantitative probing of magnetic materials and structures at the nanoscale with high sensitivity and spatial resolution. PmFM has been applied to probe magnetic soft discs and cobalt ferrite thin films, demonstrating it as a powerful tool for a wide range of magnetic materials.