In this work a thick interface model is proposed in order to describe the photothermal signal perturbation introduced by grain interfaces. The validity of the model is discussed based upon photothermal reflectance microscopy results obtained on Fe sintered samples. A comparison with the thermal resistance model, which is valid only in the case of thin interfaces, is also presented.

NiCu alloy nanowires arrays were embedded into the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template by ac-pulse electrodeposition. Different off-time were used in electrolyte with constant concentration of Ni and Cu and acidity of 3. The effect of deposition parameters on alloy contents was investigated by studying the microstructure and magnetic properties of as-deposited NiCu alloy nanowires. Atomic forc...

We present ab initio simulations of AFM image formation in the non-contact regime for prototypical reactive semiconductor and metal surfaces: InP(1 1 0)-1 1 and Cu(0 0 1). For the reactive surface the effect of tip morphology of the tip apex was also studied. The nature of the tip apex alters the local tip reactivity and can lead to reversal of the apparent AFM surface corrugation. We find that...

An approach to image the domains and domain walls of small ferromagnetic entities using atomic force microscopy ~AFM!, with a nonmagnetic AFM probe, has been developed. Exciting the sample in an external ac magnetic field, the distribution of magnetostrictive response at the surface is detected. By this technique, the domains and domain walls of submicron Co dots have been imaged with a 1 nm la...