ABSTRACT
4Fueled by the ever increasing data density in magnetic storage technology and the need for a better understanding of the physical properties of magnetic nanostructures there exists a strong demand for high-resolution magnetically sensitive microscopy techniques. The technique with the highest available resolution is spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM), which combines the atomic resolution capability of conventional STMs with spin sensitivity by making use of the tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) effect between a magnetic tip and the magnetic sample surface. Beyond the investigation of ferromagnetic surfaces, thin films, and epitaxial nanostructures with unforeseen precision, it also allows the achievement of a long-standing dream, i.e., the real space imaging of atomic spins in antiferromagnetic surfaces. Furthermore, SP-STM allowed for the discovery and investigation of complex spin structures, like frustrated triangular structures and helical spin spirals, which were hypothesized but could not be imaged directly before.
