Patent ID: 7262597

Claim:
A system for high resolution current imaging by direct magnetic field sensing, comprising: a sample positioned in an ambient environment; a magnetic sensor positioned in an enclosure separating said magnetic sensor from said ambient environment, said enclosure having a window; a fiber probe having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having a sharply defined tip having a radius in the range of approximately 10 nm -1 μm, said fiber probe being secured by said distal end thereof to said window, said fiber probe being magnetically coupled by said tip to said sample and by said distal end thereof to said magnetic sensor to transmit thereto a signal corresponding to a magnetic field emanating from said sample; a distance controlling mechanism actively controlling a distance between said sample and said tip of said fiber probe and maintaining said distance in the range of approximately 1-100 nm, and a coil attached to or in proximity to said tip of said fiber probe in surrounding relationship therewith to DC-bias said fiber probe to the point of the highest permeability thereof.