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doi:10.1017/S143192761800510X
Microsc. Microanal. 24 (Suppl 1), 2018
© Microscopy Society of America 2018
Probing the Proximity of Magnetic Dichroic Signal in Electron Magnetics Circular
Dichroism by Atomic Sized Electron Vortex Beam and Four Fold Astigmatic
Beams.
Devendra Singh Negi
1
, Juan Carlos Idrobo
2
and Jan Rusz
3
1.
Uppsala University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala, Sweden
2.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge, Tennessee,
USA
The advent of nanotechnology, and newly emerging magnetic structures and phenomenon has pushed
the functionality of electronic devices to atomic level [1, 2]. Atomic level functionality further demands
the tools and techniques, capable of measuring the magnetic properties at nano and atomic scale
sensitivity. Several available methods, i.e, XMCD, SPSEM can sense the spatial magnetic properties,
but are limited to spatial resolution of about ~20 nm [3, 4]. In this context recently developed technique
EMCD has shown its capability of detecting magnetic properties at nano and atomic scale [5, 6]. Due to
the strong columbic interaction at atomic scale, the electron probe can cause the atomic excitation of
distant atomic columns. Therefore, in order to rationalize the spatial resolution, it is necessary to study
the source and nature of intrinsic delocalization [7]. We probe the proximity of magnetic signal in
EMCD by electron vortex beam (EVBs) and atomic sized astigmatic beams, respectively. For present
investigation antiferromagnetic LaMnAsO is considered as test bed material. Inelastic scattering cross
section of Mn-L3 edge is calculated with combined Multislice-Bloch wave approach and z-locality
approximation as implemented in MATS v2 software. Convergence angle α = 30 mrad, and optimized
value of four fold astigmatism C34 (17 µm) is used for all calculations. Figure 1 shows the structure of
LaMnAsO and a scheme of the probes used for the present study. In order to obtain maximum magnetic
response from the astigmatic probe, the central intensity of astigmatic probe is restricted. Figure 2
indicates that EMCD signal intensity localizes within small scattering angle range while it smears out
for higher scattering angles for astigmatic probes. For higher signal to noise ratio, EMCD, NM signal
detection, EVBs is a better probe as compare to astigmatic probes (Figure 3). Higher SNR can be
obtained within in small collection angle (~ 6-8 mrad) range. SNR can be enhance by introducing the
aperture on the centre of astigmatic probe. While probing with EVBs the maximum magnetic signal
arises from probed atomic column. Irrespective of material thickness, EVBs remains strongly localized
on probed atomic column. Magnetic contribution arises within few nm of thickness of material. While
probing with astigmatic probe majority of the magnetic signal originates from the nearest neighbour
atomic column (Figure 4). Higher SNR and excellent signal localization suggests that EVBs can be an
excellent probe for measuring magnetic properties at interface, crystal site specific doped magnetic
impurity etc.
References:
[1] M. Fuechsle, et al. Nat. nanotechnology 7 (2012), p. 242.
[2] B. Radisavljevic, et al. Nat. nanotechnology 6 (2011), p. 147.
[3] R. Wiesendanger, et al. Science 255 (1992), p. 583.
[4] W. L. Chao et al. Nature 435 (2005), p. 1210.
[5] P. Schattschneider, et al. Nature. 441 (2006), p. 486.
[6] J. Rusz, J. C. Idrobo and S. Bhowmick, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113 (2014), p. 145501.
[7] J. Rusz et al. Phys. Rev. B 95 (2017), p. 174412.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S143192761800510X
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