The SSRL BL13 Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy for the Study of Magnetic Materials

Today’s magnetic device technology is based on complex magnetic alloys or multilayers that are patterned at the nanoscale and operate at gigahertz frequencies. To better understand the behavior of such devices one needs an experimental approach that is capable of detecting magnetization with nanometer and picosecond sensitivity. In addition, since devices contain different magnetic elements, a technique is needed that provides element-specific information about not only ferromagnetic but antiferromagnetic materials as well. Synchrotron based X-ray microscopy provides exactly these capabilities because a synchrotron produces tunable and fully polarized X-rays In this contribution we will present the capabilities of synchrotron based X-ray microscopy, which is becoming a tool available at every synchrotron. The particular capabilties of the instrument discussed here is the ability to detect very small changes in the magnetization induced by external stimuli like curretns or fields. It also allows to follow magnetization dynamics with a time resolution of the order of 10 ps. We will show results that demonstrate the ability to image spin waves, electric field induced changes in antiferromagnets as well as spin accumulation in non-magnets.