Nanoscale magnetostrictive response in a thin film owing to a local magnetic field

Scanning probe microscope experiments are presented in which thin magnetostrictive films deposited on top of micrometer-sized magnetic write heads as used in magnetic hard disk drives, are used to visualize their emanating magnetic field. The magnetostrictive expansion owing to magnetic writing fields is discussed, together with the transduction mechanisms that lead to the vertical and lateral contrast observed. Experimental results verify that the techniques described have a lateral resolution in the realm of 100 nm.