We have cosputtered deposited thin film of Co(x)Si(1-x). I want to measure MFM study of these thin films. Anyone plz suggest how to measure hysteresis loop from MFM images.
First you need to be able to apply external magnetic fields. this is not obvious. Assuming you can do that all you can see with the MFM are the finger prints of domain structures at the sample surface. In a best case scenario I would suggest you try to determine the area of up domains and down domains with a large scanned region. Under the assumption that the domains make it all the way through the film the magnetization should be proportional to the difference of the area of up and down domains (if you have a simple system with just 180 degree domains).
First you need to be able to apply external magnetic fields. this is not obvious. Assuming you can do that all you can see with the MFM are the finger prints of domain structures at the sample surface. In a best case scenario I would suggest you try to determine the area of up domains and down domains with a large scanned region. Under the assumption that the domains make it all the way through the film the magnetization should be proportional to the difference of the area of up and down domains (if you have a simple system with just 180 degree domains).
MFM study does not gives hysteresis and you can see the domains directly. There are some theory (infact difficulty to accomplish experimentally) to do so. The magnetic phase and amplitude signals under varying field of tip is measured and plotted. My suggestion is to use MFM to visualize the domains only. For M-H loop, better try with VSM or SQUID. You can also follow christian suggestions as well. All the best.
MFM is used efficiently to visualise the configurations of magnetic domains; the period of domains is sensibly equal to the thin film thickness in case you have clear up and down domains. To obtain the evolution of the magnetic moment versus applied magnetic field you may use a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer or an Alternating Gradient field Magnetometer(AGFM) which has a good sensibility, or a Physical Property Measurement System(PPMS) or either a MOKE or SQUID instruments.
I agree with all the above answers. And if it was possible to magnetize the film (as told by Christian Binek), then the B-H curve can be obtained from M-H curve, adding at each point the value of the magnetic field strength to the magnetization value.
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