Low temperature magnetic force microscopy on YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ thin films

Recent low temperature magnetic force microscope measurements on YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin films are summarized. The high spatial resolution and the high sensitivity of the low temperature magnetic force microscope make it well suited for probing the local state of a magnetic sample. Single vortices have been imaged and their pinning locations determined. In addition, the tip can be used to locally perturb the magnetic state of the sample to move vortices out of their pinning centers or create vortex bundles. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.