Magnetic force microscopy image restoration technique for removing tip dependence

Quantitative interpretation of a magnetic force microscopy (MFM) image usua lly requires detailed knowledge of the magnetization configuration of the s ensing tip. Here, we demonstrated a technique that converts the obtained ra w MFM image into the magnetic pole density distribution without explicitly knowing the tip magnetization orientation. By creating an approximate point source of magnetic poles in the same sample imaged, the impulse response f unction of the MFM tip is obtained for deconvolution of a raw image in the Fourier space. Experimental demonstrations with various tip magnetization o rientations were performed on recorded magnetic transitions in a thin film longitudinal medium. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98 )53811-X].