Progress in magnetic soft X-ray microscopy

Summary form only given. Magnetic domain structures on a nanometer length scale are a major issue both from a fundamental physics point of view and in a technologically relevant context. Many powerful imaging techniques have been established so far. The outstanding challenge is a spatio-temporal imaging of the switching behavior of the magnetic domain structure as this both determines the technological functionality. The systems of interest are thin single and multicomponent multilayered magnetic films, often laterally patterned micro- and nanostructures. In this talk we shall review the recent progress of magnetic soft X-ray microscopy and we shall give an outlook to future potential applications.