Element-selective mapping of magnetic moments in ultrathin magnetic films using a photoemission microscope

We combine X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and photoelectron emiss ion microscopy to obtain locally resolved magnetic information on a microsc opic scale. Scanning the photon energy across elemental absorption edges an d recording microscopic images of the local secondary electron intensity fo r both photon helicities at each photon energy step allows to analyze local XMCD spectra at any position of the imaged area of the sample. With the he lp of magnetic sum-rules local quantitative information about magnetic mome nts can be extracted from such microspectroscopic measurements. The full po wer of XMCD as a spectroscopic tool is so maintained, while microscopic spa tial resolution is added. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.