Scanning SQUID microscopy of vortex configurations in superconductor arrays

Abstract We have imaged the configuration of magnetic vortices in 2D networks of superconducting Nb wires using a Scanning SQUID Microscope (SSM). The SSM scans a dc SQUID detector over the array to map out the magnetic field with a spatial resolution of 10μm and a flux sensitivity of 10 −4 Φ 0 . We have studied the arrangement of vortices in large square arrays as a function of the applied magnetic field.