Patent · US Expired

Magnetic STM with a non-magnetic tip

US5331589A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 30, 1992
Grant dateJul 19, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 30, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S977/865
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for imaging the magnetic structure and the magnetic domains of a sample is described incorporating a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), a voltage generator for varying the voltage on the tip, an ammeter for measuring the current through the tip, circuitry to determine the tip voltage at zero current and a current source for passing current longitudinally through the sample. The invention may further include an applied magnetic field in the plane of the sample and orthogonal to current passing through the sample. A high density non-volatile memory is described incorporating the above apparatus except for the applied magnetic field and further incorporating a layer of ferromagnetic material having magnetic domains therein indicative of information.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.