MICROSCOPIC MAGNETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF SUBMICRON COBALT ISLANDS PREPARED USING SELF-ASSEMBLED POLYMER MASKING TECHNIQUE

Patterns of submicron cobalt islands were created on silicon by using self-assembled copolymers as etching masks. The synthesis conditions w ere varied to created specific magnetic island morphologies. The magne tic structure and magnetization reversal of interconnected, as well as interacting and non-interacting islands were systematically studied u sing magnetic force microscopy. Differences in magnetic characteristic s were observed and correlated with the thin film morphologies. The re sult of these studies include the transition from single to multidomai n configuration as a function of island size, domain boundary characte ristics near coercivity, evidence of magnetization rotation with incre asing reverse magnetic field, and evidence of collective switching beh avior in interacting single domain islands.