Magnetic imaging by x-ray holography using extended references

Abstract

We demonstrate magnetic lensless imaging by Fourier transform holography using extended references. A narrow slit milled through an opaque gold mask is used as a holographic reference and magnetic contrast is obtained by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. We present images of magnetic domains in a Co/Pt multilayer thin film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. This technique holds advantages over standard Fourier transform holography, where small holes are used to define the reference beam. An increased intensity through the extended reference reduces the counting time to record the farfield diffraction pattern. Additionally it was found that manufacturing narrow slits is less technologically demanding than the same procedure for holes. We achieve a spatial resolution of ∼30 nm, which was found to be limited by the sample period of the chosen experimental setup.