I would recommend adding Nanotec to the list:

www.nanotec.es

I know pretty good work done with their AFMs by, for example, Asenjo's group, on MFM.

http://www.nanotec.es/applications/gallery/index.php?cat=magnetism&start=3

Juan

Asylum Research has the best unit and excellent personal customer service

Asylum Research makes the best equipment for this purpose. External magnetic field module is not an EM (no heat - no thermal drift) and goes up to 0.8 Tesla with 1G resolution. PFM is also very straightforward to use on their system. You could have a look for an example:

J. Mater. Chem., 2012, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C2JM32191B

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 093711 (2012) .

Dear KV Rao and Lyubov,

We had our first product demonstration from AR today. We are not going in for the Cypher model though (which is supposed to be the super awesome model). We are going in for the cheaper version MFP 3D! Do you think that these versions are also as good as the Cypher model? Because most of the places that I have seen, Cypher is the model that is being praised the most!

MFP3D is an amazing tool. You'll have a lot of fun with it. Cypher is fantastic due to ultra-resolution and speed, but MFP3D is still more versatile for functional imaging. The papers I quoted above are done on MFP3D.

Wow, that is nice. Hmmm then let us now see what will their pricing be so that we can get this tool!

Thank you Lyubov

We operate a Veeco/DI Nanoscope model III, which is fully adapted for MFM use -- that means, no magnetic parts in the scan head. We can apply several types of magnetic field using copper coils, and recently, we operated the unit in a room-temperature bore of a 5 T superconducting magnet in fields up to 1 T. The unit is functionning well, but the only problem is the little sample space available. Often we wish to have there much more space!

Very interesting systems to consider is also the HR-MFM from NanoScan (Switzerland). Their system allows to operate MFM in high vacuum or even in the insert to a Quantum Design PPMS system, which offers quite unique possibilities, too.

Best regards,

These systems allow to only do MFM, and in somewhat limited capacity as they don't allow for full control of how the scanning is done. I'm not aware of PFM capabilities on these systems.

The newer Veeco Nanoscopes have a mode "surface potential detection" and with the external switch box one can arrange this unit for PFM, too. The HR-MFM has in the present version the possibility for PFM, which is also advertised on their website. So, this should not be a problem.

I also recommend Asylum. We have in the lab and its performance is excelent!

Michael Koblischka · thank you for the information. those were really valid points that you have pointed out. and good that the machine works at such high magnetic fields too.

Thank you

Teja

MFP3D from AR is probably the best answer for your purpose. I have it in my lab. and the unit is working almost day in and day out with amazing quality of images and functionalities. I have also the VFM module with motorized XY stage which adds further value to check the uniformity of your samples over a large area at a very less time. They do care about the customers in a best possible professional way. Cypher is probably fantastic and more apt for nanobio systems...

I use NanoMagnetics Instruments AFM system for high resolution MFM and PFM which can achive smaller than 10 nm resolution.

I'm an Asylum's MFP3D user and I fully agree with all the mentioned things above. Great performance and good for MFM and PFM. Forget Cypher, since I thing you cannot add external magnetic fields on it. The Variable Field Module is amazing! About 1 T in plane without heating and noise. Costumer service is also one of the bests you can find. BUT, I would not be fair if I didn't mention you the NTEGRA platform from NT-MDT. It's maybe less known as Asylum but they are really good at PFM and MFM. Morevover, you can also add an easy to use low vacuum chamber that enhances your performance of MFM, AND also available externally applied fields vertical and in plane. Versatility in analysing signals is also great and have very good quality/price ratio. I believe it is a must to include it the list on the second place, and make sure you check it before making up your decision! My heart is really divided!

yes, for MFM and PFM - Asylum.

wow thankss for all the answers. Dr.domigo. Thanks fir that input. I shall try to see if i an get my hands on an NTEGRA system. Dr. Rebis. Thanks for that info. We wou.d like to go for a larger scanner. 10micron. We would like to find the same place yes. I guess all these are definitely possible with asylum

I'd recommend SmartSPM from AIST-NT. It has many really advanced techniques for MFM which are hard or impossible to implement on Asylum's MFP 3D, not to mention that SmartSPM has much better spatial resolution and stability and better price, much better.

Just few examples:

http://www.aist-nt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/app_mfm_eng_18-11-2010.pdf

http://www.aist-nt.com/category/applications/mfm/

If you need more, I could e-mail it directly

Once I worked with AFM (SPI3800N/4000, SII Nanotechnology Inc., Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan). It was wonderful and multi-functional. Done a pretty good job.lots of application.

AFM with MFM and PFM scan - Asylum research, NT-MDT both are O.K. for the purpose.

As this is a quite good discussion on the different MFM systems, I would like to ask all of you to point out the maximum possible sample space of each instrument. As mentioned already earlier, we always run into problems with our Veeco/DI Nanoscope (model IIIa and IV) when it comes to measure "big" samples -- in these systems, we are mounting the samples on a little holder (which is also used in SEMs) of 12 mm diameter, and a maximum sample height of about 2 mm is left . This means that we can in principle only measure thin film samples, and any addition like a electric cable (e.g., for HF-MFM) makes the life pretty clumsy. Not to speak from samples which have to be polished prior to the investigation. Very recently, I have seen the large sample space available of a MFP3D system, and I also know the Veeco/DI Dimension system with a large sample space.

So, it would be great if we can compile a list with this information, which is of great value for all of us.

The physics behind the working principle is the interaction of material surface with the nanotip associated with the instrument.

Arash Dehzhangi: I did not get which is the company name from your answer. I would like to check it out

Michael and Tapan : Thanks for that input. I spoke to NTMDT and Park system guys recently. I addressed this problem of space with them and both of them have promised us a system that can accommodate larger sample sizes and larger scan areas!

I would recommend a system from NT-MDT (ntmdt.com). I oersonally worked a little bit with MFM and a lot on KPFM. I am pretty satisfied with capabilities of NTEGRA.