Spin-Polarized Photoelectron Emission Microscopy of Magnetic Nanostructures

The increasing miniaturization in non-volatile data-storage devices offers the opportunity of a substantial shortening of read-write cycles. In order to study the underlying physical phenomena and fundamental limits it is necessary to probe the spin-dynamics in nanostructures on a fsec time-scale. We present an approach where this can be achieved together with the required nm spatial resolution. The method is based on the combination of fsec pump-probe laser-techniques and photoelectron emission microscopy. Magnetic sensitivity is obtained by analyzing the spin-polarization of the emitted photoelectrons. We will present an application of the technique to CoPt nanoscale magnetic dots.