EXPERIMENTAL TESTING OF POINT-CHARGE MODEL OF MAGNETIC FORCE SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY

A magnetic force scanning tunneling microscopy technique for imaging o f magnetization patterns is briefly described and a ''point-charge mod el'' for this technique is stated. This model is experimentally tested by comparing the measured images of some deliberately recorded magnet ization patterns with the images theoretically computed for the same p atterns on the basis of the point-charge model. The good agreement bet ween experimentally measured and theoretically computed images is foun d. This agreement suggests the validity of the point-charge model.