XMUM (X-ray Magnetic UltraMicroscopy)

This project aims at developing novel techniques of microscopy (2D) and tomography of magnetism based on coherent hard X-ray beams. We propose two sets of methods based on the same concepts: one for ferromagnetic structures and one for antiferromagnetic structures (including non-collinear ones). In both cases, the vectorial aspect of magnetism is fully captured. These methods will allow imaging micron size samples with a resolution of a few tens of nanometers.
The emphasis is set on the tomographic mode, for which the proposed approach will suffer no comparison regarding antiferromagnetic materials, and fill a gap between neutron and electron tomographies regarding ferromagnetic materials.
These methods benefit fully from the standard advantages of elastic x-ray scattering techniques: they are non-destructive, element specific, access buried samples and admit various sample environments. They are made possible thanks to the advent of ultrabright synchrotron sources.
The proposed methods are particularly needed for 3D investigation of magnetism but will also be useful for 2D imaging, and can be applied in any scientific field dealing with magnetism: fundamental magnetism, spintronics, permanent magnets, geomagnetism, biomagnetism...