MFM and Its Application to Magnetic Recording: For D.C. and High-Frequency Characterization

The magnetic force microscope (MFM) is a tool for observing the microscopic magnetic structure of a sample surface using a scanning probe. Its use in investigations of the microscopic characteristics of magnetic components has been studied intensively. In this review, we describe applications of MFM to the characterization of magnetic recording heads and media. The principle of operation is based on detection of the force between the MFM probe tip and the sample; hence various experimental results can be obtained by changing the magnetic properties of the MFM probe tip. We also discuss interpretation of results and their applications.