Spatial Resolution Improvement of Spin-Polarized Scanning Electron Microscope

A previously developed method of magnetic domain observation which relies on detection of the spin polariization of secondary electrons emitted from the sample surface during scanning with a primary electron beam, and on converting the spin polarization into an image signal, has been further developed. Specifically, the efficiency of the spin detector used was raised, and an electron gun with a narrower primary electron beam adopted to improve spatial resolution to approximately 0.2 μm. Images obtained using the method for polycrystalline Fe are presented; ten minutes were required to obtain a single image.