A compact surface decontamination system for surface-sensitive magnetic imaging

A surface decontamination system for application in surface sensitive magnetic imaging tools, such as a spin-polarized scanning electron microscope, is described. Adsorbed contaminant is chemically decomposed with the use of active oxygen in a compact vacuum chamber mounted in a microscope. The present method is especially suitable for fragile magnetic surfaces of complex oxide materials to which the conventional physical etching widely used for magnetic metals could cause serious structural damage. We have succeeded in detecting magnetic signals from a decontaminated oxide surface and visualizing domain images with sufficient magnetic contrast to analyze detailed domain structures.