The present invention provides a probe for a scanning magnetic force
microscope having a resolution sufficient to allow observation of a
magnetic storage medium with 1200 kFCI or higher recording densities, a
method for producing the probe, and a method for forming a ferromagnetic
alloy film on a carbon nanotube. In the context of the present invention,
the probe for a scanning magnetic force microscope comprises a carbon
nanotube whose surface is at least in part coated with a ferromagnetic
alloy film consisting of any one of a Co--Fe alloy and a Co--Ni alloy,
wherein the arithmetic mean roughness (Ra 10 .mu.m) of the surface of the
ferromagnetic alloy film is controlled to 1.15 nm or less. A method for
producing such probes for a scanning magnetic force microscope and a
method for forming such a ferromagnetic alloy film on a carbon nanotube,
so as to achieve such mean surface roughness by controlling the growth
rate of the ferromagnetic alloy film within the range of 1.0 to 2.5
nm/min, is also disclosed.