A Mathematical Algorithm and Custom Nanoprobes to Improve the Resolution of Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) Images

We are working on developing special nanoprobes and techniques to improve the resolution of Magnetic Force Microscopy, MFM. In this paper we describe the custom probes fabricated at our lab and a mathematical algorithm to improve the resolution of the images obtained with these probes. The algorithm is based on physical principles and not on statistical nor on digital signal processing techniques. Our method consists in reversing the non-uniform interaction that takes place between the magnetized probe tip and the perpendicular magnetic stray field produced by the magnetized sample. We developed a compensation field that when scanned over the originally data points produces the effect of imaging the magnetic field with a flat response probe tip. Using this method we obtained images of higher resolution than those provided by conventional MFM.