Spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy (spin SEM) and its recent progress

Spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy (spin SEM) is a method to observe magnetic domain structures at a ferromagnetic sample surface. It detects the spin-polarization of the secondary electrons from a ferromagnetic sample and the magnetization vector at the originating point of the secondary electrons is deduced. This principle has brought us several excellent capabilities such as high spatial resolution and magnetization vector analysis. This technique has been applied for various magnetic materials and devices since it was developed thirty years ago, and still has been continuously extending its functions and challenging to open new fields for magnetic domain observation. In this article, recent results of spin SEM are introduced after brief explanation of the principle and the key components of the instrument. (author)