Two-Step Resist Deposition of E-Beam Patterned Thick Py Nanostructures for X-ray Microscopy

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Magnetism

Background:

• Characterizing magnetic nanostructures requires advanced imaging techniques.
• Fragile membranes pose challenges for nanofabrication processes like electron beam lithography.
• Permalloy (Py) nanostructures are of interest for their magnetic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust method for fabricating thick (up to 300 nm) permalloy nanostructures on X-ray-transparent membranes.
• To investigate the magnetic domain structures within these fabricated nanostructures using Magnetic Transmission X-ray Microscopy (MTXM).

Main Methods:

• Electron beam lithography was employed to define patterned permalloy elements.
• A novel two-step spin coating process for resist application was developed to prevent membrane breakage.
• Magnetic Transmission X-ray Microscopy (MTXM) was used for magnetic structure characterization.

Main Results:

• The two-step spin coating method successfully prevented membrane breakage during lithography.
• MTXM imaging revealed the presence of a central domain wall in the permalloy nanostructures.
• Wider nanostructures exhibited additional types of domain walls, indicating complex magnetic behavior.

Conclusions:

• The developed fabrication technique is effective for creating thick permalloy nanostructures on delicate membranes.
• The study provides insights into the magnetic domain wall configurations in permalloy nanostructures.
• This work facilitates further research into the magnetic properties of nanoscale materials.