During the past twenty years magnetic force microscopy (MFM) has become one of the most powerful general purpose method for magnetic imaging. Apart from applications in quality control in the batch fabrication of magnetic devices, MFM has proven its relevance in fundamental research to gain information about the magnetic properties of the materials at the nanoscale. MFM can be applied under various environmental conditions and requires only little sample preparation. The quantitative data analysis, the tip-sample influence and the lateral resolution have been the most important challenges of this technique. New developments can be implemented in order to improve its potential. In the present work, MFM-based techniques developed in our group are described. MFM performed in external magnetic has led to a novel method of magnetometry at nanoscale [1,2] that can be used to study reversal magnetization processes in Py nanostripes [3] or CoFeCu nanowires [4]. Regarding the spatial resolution, we show the advantage of using one side coated MFM probes [5] and how high lateral resolution magnetic images can be obtained by studying magnetic dissipation processes in MFM [6].

Oral presentation given at the 20th International Conference on Magnetism, held in Barcelona (Spain) on July 5-10th, 2015. H.F.3_MEASURING TECHNIQUES AND INSTRUMENTATION 17:15-18:30 (ROOM A).