Scanning force microscopy (SFM), operated in the attractive imaging mode, enables the precise measurement of the force between tip and sample over a tip–sample distance ranging from contact to tens of nanometers. The basic long range interactions (>1 nm: i.e., hydrodynamic, electrostatic, van der Waals, and capillary forces) between tip and sample have been measured and will be discussed. Each force leads to a different mode of operation in profiling samples. The most critical part of the SFM is the force sensor. Exact knowledge of the sensor properties is required for the interpretation of SFM measurements. We have used micromachined silicon sensors consisting of a monolithic silicon cantilever with integrated silicon tip and have performed a detailed characterization of the tip geometry and resonance properties. Examples of surface images on different samples (conductors, insulators and biological materials) and structures, ranging from atomic steps up to several microns high features, have been investigated to demonstrate capabilities and problems in SFM imaging.

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Electron beam patterned permalloy circular dots of 700 nm diameter with small separations were studied by magnetic force microscopy (MFM) in the presence of an in situ magnetic field. Images in the demagnetized state show that the dot is in a vortex state with a vortex core (singularity) in the center. Local hysteresis loops, measured by cantilever frequency shift in an external field, indicate that the magnetization reversal of individual disks is a vortex nucleation and annihilation process. By carefully doing MFM, nucleation and annihilation fields without MFM tip stray field distortions are obtained. Configurational anisotropy originated from magnetostatic coupling is found through hysteresis loops. © 2002 American Institute of Physics

In this paper the properties of force sensors suitable for magnetic force microscopy (MFM) made by coating silicon microcantilevers with various thin magnetic films are analyzed. These MFM force sensors are batch fabricated and their magnetic properties controlled by choosing appropriate coatings. Theoretical calculations show that thin‐film MFM tips have a significantly reduced stray field, a good signal‐to‐noise ratio, and yield improved resolution when compared to etched wire tips. The sample perturbation due to the tip stray field is small, allowing the imaging of low‐coercivity samples such as Permalloy

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