January 23, 2013
Torsional Magnetometry Science
Nanoscale torsional magnetometry uses a twisting paddle to measure the magnetization of a single magnetic disk. The disk supports a ‘magnetic vortex’ with a core only ~ 20 billionths of a meter in width.
An analytical model allows tracking of the motions of the core through the disk, and for measurement of its interactions with the local magnetic energy landscape. This allows the core to function as a high resolution probe, mapping the landscape with a high degree of accuracy, as the core is scanned over the disk with magnetic fields.
A ‘scanning vortex probe microscope’ such as this, could enable fast development of computer components that use fine scale variations in the energy landscape to encode information.
credit: University of Alberta