Influence of dielectric layer thickness and roughness on topographic effects in magnetic force microscopy

Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) has become a widely used tool for the characterization of magnetic properties. However, the magnetic signal can be overlapped by additional forces acting on the tip such as electrostatic forces. In this work the possibility to reduce capacitive coupling effects betwee...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Beilstein journal of nanotechnology Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 1056 - 1064
Main Authors: Krivcov, Alexander, Ehrler, Jasmin, Fuhrmann, Marc, Junkers, Tanja, Möbius, Hildegard
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Germany Beilstein-Institut zur Föerderung der Chemischen Wissenschaften 2019
Beilstein-Institut
Subjects:
Bias
capacitive coupling
Coupling
Dielectrics
Dipoles
electrostatic effects
Film thickness
Full Research Paper
Iron oxides
Magnetic fields
Magnetic force microscopy
Magnetic properties
Magnetic signals
Microscopy
Nanoparticles
Nanoscience
Nanotechnology
Substrates
superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)
Surface roughness
Topography
magnetic force microscopy
capacitive coupling
nanoparticles
electrostatic effects
superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)
ISSN:2190-4286, 2190-4286
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) has become a widely used tool for the characterization of magnetic properties. However, the magnetic signal can be overlapped by additional forces acting on the tip such as electrostatic forces. In this work the possibility to reduce capacitive coupling effects between tip and substrate is discussed in relation to the thickness of a dielectric layer introduced in the system. Single superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are used as a model system, because their magnetic signal is contrariwise to the signal due to capacitive coupling so that it is possible to distinguish between magnetic and electric force contributions. Introducing a dielectric layer between substrate and nanoparticle the capacitive coupling can be tuned and minimized for thick layers. Using the theory of capacitive coupling and the magnetic point dipole–dipole model we could theoretically explain and experimentally prove the phase signal for single superparamagnetic nanoparticles as a function of the layer thickness of the dielectric layer. Tuning the capacitive coupling by variation of the dielectric layer thickness between nanoparticle and substrate allows the distinction between the electric and the magnetic contributions to the MFM signal. The theory also predicts decreasing topographic effects in MFM signals due to surface roughness of dielectric films with increasing film thickness.
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ISSN:2190-4286
2190-4286
DOI:10.3762/bjnano.10.106