Glovebox-assisted magnetic force microscope for studying air-sensitive samples in a cryogen-free magnet

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Two-dimensional magnets are highly sensitive to air, complicating the study of their magnetic properties.
• Direct characterization of domain textures in these sensitive materials is technically challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a glovebox-assisted magnetic force microscope (MFM) capable of imaging air-sensitive materials.
• To enable the study of intrinsic magnetic structures under cryogenic and high magnetic field conditions.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a glovebox-assisted MFM system integrated with a cryogen-free magnet and a variable temperature insert.
• Utilizing a detachable sealing chamber for inert atmosphere sample transfer from a glovebox to the MFM.
• Employing a compact tubular probe for MFM operation within a 12 T cryogen-free magnet.

Main Results:

• Successfully imaged the intrinsic magnetic structure of air-sensitive chromium triiodide (CrI3) van der Waals magnets without buffer layers.
• Achieved direct imaging at temperatures as low as 5 K and magnetic fields up to 11.9 T.
• Demonstrated the system's adaptability by allowing replacement of the MFM unit with a scanning tunneling microscope unit.

Conclusions:

• The developed glovebox-assisted MFM provides a robust method for characterizing air-sensitive magnetic materials.
• This technique overcomes previous limitations in studying the intrinsic magnetic properties of 2D magnets.
• The system's versatility supports high-resolution atomic imaging of sensitive surfaces.