Switchable-magnetisation planar probe MFM sensor

We present an alternative switching-magnetization magnetic force microscopy (SM- MFM) method using planar tip-on-chip probes. Unlike traditional needle-like tips, the planar probe approach integrates a microdevice near the tip apex with dedicated functionality. Its 1 mm x 1 mm planar surface paves the way for freedom in ultra thin-film engineering and micro-/nano-tailoring for application-oriented tip functionalization. Here, we form a microscale current pathway near the tip end to control tip magnetisation. The chip like probe or planar probe, was applied to study the complex magnetic behaviour of epitaxial transition metal oxide perovskite LaMnO3, which was previously shown to behave as complex material with domains associated with superpara-, antiferro- and ferromagnetism. To this end we successfully imaged an inhomogeneous distribution of weak ferromagnetic islands with a resolution better than 10 nm.