MICROMAGNETIC PROPERTIES AND MAGNETIZATION SWITCHING OF SINGLE-DOMAINCO DOTS STUDIED BY MAGNETIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

Magnetic force microscopy was applied to study the magnetic properties of Co dot microstructures. The high density magnetic dot arrays were fabricated using nanolithographic techniques on GaAs substrates. The f erromagnetic Co dots were found to be in a single domain state for Co film thicknesses of 7 nm and 17 nm. The magnetization of the as-prepar ed Co dot array was found to be in a non-uniform state. After applying a magnetic field the Co dots are in a uniform magnetization state. In duced switching of the magnetization of single Co dots by the stray fi eld of the probing tip using an additionally applied in-situ magnetic field has been demonstrated.