Local magnetization of GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattice films using a scanning probe microscope

Local magnetization of chalcogenide superlattices (SL) of [(GeTe)(2) (Sb2Te3)](n) (n=4 and 8) was performed using a magnetic force microscopy (MFM) at room temperature. We show that stripe patterns appeared in MFM phase images after magnetizing of the SL by holding the MFM probe at a short distance to the SL surface at room temperature. The probe-induced stripe pattern remained after storage for several days, and which differs from electric poling. We attributed the SL magnetization to the imbalance in the amount of spin-up and spin-down carriers in helical interface bands under the stray magnetic field. (C) 2018 Author(s).