Magnetic Field Imaging by Scanning Magnetoresistance Microscope with MR Cantilever

Abstract

We developed a micro-fabricated cantilever with an MR sensor (MR cantilever) for use as a scanning magnetoresistance microscope (SMRM). Using a four-point MR cantilever with good signal-to-noise ratio, we have succeeded in imaging the stray field distribution of a magnetic garnet sample. Since the magnetic spatial resolution of the SMRM depends only on the physical dimensions of the MR element, the 5-μm by 1-μm MR element used in this study provided a submicronmeter spatial resolution in one direction of the SMRM.