Scanning element-specific magnetic microscopy at low temperatures

We have developed a low-temperature element-specific magnetic microscopy tool at beamline 4-ID-D at the Advanced Photon Source. The setup provides a means to measure localized ($\sim$1 sq. micron) magnetic behavior in materials at low temperature ($>$10K) under a moderate applied field ($<$0.8T). We demonstrate the potential of this apparatus by presenting results from two experiments. The first experiment shows the technique’s ability to measure paramagnetic-to-ferromagnetic transition temperatures in micron sized regions of a sample and correlate them with small chemical inhomogeneities. The second experimental result illustrates how the technique can be used to correlate magnetic and chemical domains in a multiferroic system. Work at the Advanced Photon Source was supported by the DOE, Office of Basic Sciences, under contract no. W-31-109-Eng-38.