Magnetization reversal and coercivity of a single-domain Co/Pt dot measured with a calibrated magnetic force microscope tip

The magnetization reversal and the coercivity of a nanofabricated single-domain 230 nm diam Co/Pt multilayer dot with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are measured quantitatively with magnetic force microscopy (MFM). During MFM imaging, a variable external magnetic field ranging between −1 kOe<H<1 kOe is applied in the z direction in order to simultaneously reverse the magnetizations of both the single-domain Co/Pt dot and the MFM tip. The hysteresis loop of the Co/Pt dot can be extracted unambiguously from the resulting MFM image contrast, since we have used a calibrated MFM tip, for which the magnetization reversal has been determined independently also by MFM using a nanofabricated current carrying ring.